Reports Of Meetings.

EEPOKTS OE MEETINGS .

— : o : — KOYAL AECH . 1 NKERMAN CHAPTER , No . 1222 . THE Annual meeting was held at the Masonic Hall , Westonsuper-Mare , on Monday , 22 nd ult ., the business on the agenda including the Installation of a successor to Companion F . W . S . Wicksteed as first Principal .

The ceremony was undertaken by Colonel Long Prov . Grand H ., who was supported by a large retinue of members of the Chapter . The honour of first Principal was conferred on Comp . Sebastian Sellick , Comp . Capell being promoted from third to second , and the vacant third rilled by Comp . Blackmore .

The Treasurer ' s report showed a balance in hand with which it was hoped to assist the Stewards from Sfc . Kew Lodge in attending the Benevolent Festival in February next , at which the Prov . G . M . of Somerset ( Lord Dungarvan ) will take the chair . ' o o o

Craft: Provincial.

CEAFT : PEOVINCIAL .

MINNEHAHA MINSTREL LODGE , No . 2363 . THE Annual meeting and Festival of St . John took place at the Victoria Hotel , Manchester , on Monday , 22 nd ult ., there being present : —Bros . W . A . Brabner W . M ., F . W . Wollaston I . P . M ., C . H . Beever S . W ., C . Harrop J . W ., Joseph Hilton Treas ., M . Thomas P . M . P . P . G . D . Sec , Henry Nail P . M . S . D ., Fred Hilton P . M . P . P . G . D . C . J . D ., Thos . Hamnett Acting I . G ., Seth Wrigley

P . M . D . C , J . W . Lloyd P . M ., E . Roberts P . M . ( FKEKMASON ' S CHRONICLE ) , Sam Luke , F . Todd , W . W . Hitching , 0 . H . Normanton P . M ., S . H . Stubbs , Fred Arden , Audrew Ferrie , A . J . Holt , W . F . Dearden , Nagib Fiani , G . R . Ward , Harry Bowes . Visitors : —Bros . John Chadwick P . M . 44 PG . Swd . B . Prov . G . Sec , Jas . W . Abbott P . M . 1030 P . P . G . D . C , W . Goldthorpe P . M .

P . G . Reg ., A . Millington W . M . 152 , Jas . Morrison W . M . 1375 , A . W . Reynolds W . M . 2109 , D . P . Schloss W . M . 2322 , Jas . M . Simpson W . M . 2387 , F . H . Macklin S . W . W . M .-elect 1319 , Wm . Rushton Organist 1375 , Jno . Hinchliff I . G . 204 , Thos . W . Rostron P . M . 1140 , Arthur A . Moss P . M . 1375 , C . E . Daber 317 , Bertram D . Beever 1009 , W . Thos . Watts 1052 , J . Yule-Deeley 149 G , A . W . Bennett , and others .

By way of carrying out a custom adopted in this Lodge , tho confirmation of minutes was followed by the reading of one of the Constitutional Charges of a Freemason , after which a Board of Installed Masters was formed , consisting of Bros . W . A . Brabner W . M ., M . Thomas S . W ., Fred Hilton J . W ., J . W . Abbott I . G .

Bro . Seth Wrigley having presented the W . M .-elect , the latter signified his adhesion to the usual Antient Rules and Regulations submitted to him by Bro . Chadwick Prov . G . Sec , and the ceremony of Installation proceeded , Bro . Cyril H . Beever ( one of the founders of the Minnehaha Minstrel Lodge ) being placed in the chair of King Solomon by his predecessor with all the honour which could be derived from the adjunct of a finely-executed musical programme , the same boing under the direction of Bro . Thomas .

Bros . Nail , Hilton and Wrigley , who assisted by respectively addressing the newly-installed Master , the Wardens , and investing the Officers , are noted for the uniform excellence of their work , and need no additional praise , but of Bro . Brabner , to whom this was a tentative effort , it is fair to say that he acquitted himself with that credit which had been hoped for and expected .

This over , the Brethren adjourned to the large dining room of the hotel , where a banquet , provided in the magnificent manner which is a characteristic feature of Bro . Donald ' s management , awaited them .

Loyal and Masonic toasts were honoured and received responses from Grand and Provincial Officers . The health of the W . M . was proposed by Bro . Brabner I . P . M ., in the following racy speech : —Just as this is the chief day of all the year to this Lodge , so the toast which I have to propose is the chief toast of the evening . It is that of our Worshipful

Master—Bro , Cyril H . Beever . I am sure , Sir , you may accept the hearty , spontaneous , and fervid greeting just evoked , not only as a tribute to your own merit , but as an earnest of the loyalty and devotion of the Brethren towards you during your year of office . I have been much exercised in my mind for the past week as to how I should propose this toast , because it is one which demands tho very best

that can be given to it of thought , of fancy , and of eloquence ; but much as I tried to frame some suitable words , none seemed to be what I wished , or what the subject deserved , so I came here tonight trusting to the inspiration of the moment , with only one beautiful line of poetry running in my mind , where it had been constantly present during all my projected speeches . It runs : —

' There is always sunshine somewhere in the world , " and it seemed to me that tho thought which has cheered me often in my fits of gloom might have a special application here and now , for , Brethren , where should there more certainly | be sunshine than in a Masonic Lodge , and where in that Lodge more surely than round and in the Master ' s chair ? We have to-day been

reminded of thafc bright luminary of nature which sheds light and lustre to all within its circle , and in like manner it will be your task , Worshipful Master , to diffuse light and learning to your Brethren in the Ledge . I do not doubt the performance of your duties in the chair being as efficient as that of any of your predecessors , aud that the great light of Masonic truth will flood this

Craft: Provincial.

Lodge with its comforting and life-giving rays . Those rays have permeated our Lodgo since its formation , and brought into deserved prominence its former Masters . It is as though some glorious sunrise spread across a land of mountains , and one by one the summits were touched with shafts of light spreading and ever spreading until the mount was bathed in roseate beams , and

stood confessed in the full light of God ' s open day . So you stand to-day Worshipful Master , whilst your predecessors ara apart , with the shades of evening mantling over them , —apart , yet side by side with you ; isolated peaks which call to you friendly greetings ; landmarks for guidance to the younger Brethren ; apart , but not alone , for they mark but the commencement of that grand chain which , united at the base by

the principles and tenets of the Craft , shall stretch throughout the Lodge and throughout the Masonic world when time for us shall be no more . Now , Brethren , I wish to say how great and especial has been my delight in installing Brother Beever thia day . We two have been associated for many years in another society , where we have together blacked our faces and hidden those features with which Providence has blessed us—or

otherwisebehind burnt cork ; wo have sung our songs ; we have banged our tambourines ; we havo retailed in the wildest and most grotesque language those hoary and venerable " chestnuts" which are so intimately associated with negro minstrelsy , and we have been listened to with that kindly generosity and veneration to which those chestnuts were entitled .

Then , Brethren , this Lodge was formed , and again we were side by side , not only as founders , but as Deacons , and I have been told upon most excellent authority that we were the best Deacons in the Province . Now , Bro . Beever , you and I are of too modest a nature to dispute that statement even if we doubted it , which we do not ,

and we must let it stand , not for our own credit but for the credit of the Lodge . In a little timo we were again side-by side in the sense that wo wero Wardens together , and I have it on authority which compels belief which I should never dare fco challenge , from a Mason whose intelligence is at once revealed by his statement , thafc we were the best Wardens in the Province .

Now , W . M ., we are again side by side as Master and Past Master , and I am satisfied that the same high authority will show bis sound judgment aud true appreciation of modest worth by once more declaring in the ringing tones of truth , that we are the best Masters in the Province . Afc all events , if that encomium is not passed upon us , I am convinced it will be no fault of yours , for I am sure your

work will be carried out with that exactness , zeal , and brilliance which has characterised ifc in the past . I trust the Great Architect may give you strength to fulfil your own desires and our expectations wifch honour to yourself and satisfaction to the Brethren , whom I call upon to unite with me in drinking the health of my dear old friend and Brother , who is now our W . M .

Bro . Beever said , in reply , that he was well aware it was a custom to accord a hearty welcome to the W . M . in Lodge , and apologised for the lateness of the hour which precluded him from emulating fche I . P . M . and indulging In a speech of great magnitude . Last year , after his installation , Bro . Brabner had led them to believe that he would rule with an iron hand , though It mighfc be

tempered with a velvet glove . For his own part , he would combine the " fortiter in re " with the " suaviter in modo " ; it was much the same thing , bufc being Latin seemed more awful . While he did his best to maintain the reputation of the Lodge , he hoped he should be backed up by the Officers who had been appointed that day , at

the same timo reminding them of a saying that " half the ease of life oozes away through unpunctuality , " which he trusted they would remember . He sincerely thanked them for the very kind manner in which they had received the toast of his health , and hoped that the harmony which had hitherto prevailed in Lodge would continue .

Bro . Beever afterwards proposed the health of the I . P . M . and Installing Master , saying that Bro . Brabner , the subject of the toast , had proved his guide , philosopher , and friend . He had been a success , and not having obtruded tho threatened iron hand , the Brethren had enjoyed his rule very much . The ceremony of installation as performed with musical surroundings was a very great ; tax , but it had been done in a manner which reflected credit

upon the Installing Master . A soldier who gives proof of valour on the field of battle is generally rewarded with tbe Victoria Cross , — so the W . M . of a Lodge , when he has displayed proofs of proficiency is rewarded by a Past Master ' s jewel , and the one which it was his duty and pleasure to present to Bro . Brabner was in recognition of what he had accomplished . Might he live long to wear ifc , for it was an honour well won , which would remind him of work well done . Bro . Brabner responded in suitable terms .

Other toasts followed , that of the Masonic Charities being proposed by Bro . M . Thomas , Charity Representative , who reminded his listeners that for a young Lodgo ( formed only four years ago ) , they stood fifteenth in thc list of 107 Lodges comprising the Province of East Lancashire , which had contributed a sum of over £ 200 to the East Lancashire Systematic Masonic Educational and

Benevolent Institution . Besides this they were donors to three London Institutions , and possessed in all 250 votes , as follows : — Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and Widows of Freemasons , 40 ; Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , 5 ; Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , 4 ; East Lancashire Systematic Masonic Educational and Benevolent Institution , 201 .

During the evening a very excellent selection of songs and recitations was given by Bros . Todd , Thomas , Harrop , Nail , Hamnett , and Macklin ( who was under engagement to perform at the Prince ' s Theatre , Manchester , in " A Sorceress of Love , " an English adaptation of M . Sardou ' s " Patrie " ) . Bro . G . R . Ward ,

who is an accomplished and gentlemanly executant in this particular line , treated the company to a bones solo , which was highly appreciated . Another feature of the evening ' s entertainment was the singing of an original song by the I . P . M . Bro . Brabner is well known in Manchester circles as a composer of high class literature , and if wo give his song in full on the present occasion it