A Desperate Case.

we set ourselves when we commenced these remarks , we must ask our readers to supply for themselves the necessary colouring—we assure them they have "A Desperate Case" before them , and no amount of influence which they can bring to bear in relief of

it will be too much , neither will it be bestowed on an unworthy cause . A more just or sincere outlet for the gifts of those charitably disposed it would be impossible to discover , the aim of the Institution being to help those who have not been unmindful of the wants of the distressed in days long past .

Lodge Histories.

LODGE HISTORIES .

— : o : — THE LODGE OF ECONOMY , No . 76 . WE cordially fchank Bro . T . Sfcopher P . M . and T . P . M 76 , P . P . G . S . W . Hants and Isle of Wight , P . Z

of Chapter 52 , for the volume of extracts , compiled from the minute books of his Lodge , he has forwarded to us . Bnfc we hope he will excuse us if we express an opinion that he has somewhat marred his work by tho brevity he has

exercised . True , we may be criticising him unjustly ; li . has had the documents before him , and perhaps can toll ns he has extracted every item of interest , whereas we can

only express the opinion that the books of a Lodge ranging from 1802 fco fche present time should be more prolific than he has shown these to be , although tbe volume he has prepared abounds with items of interest to

those who make a study of the doings of bygone days . We

have tried , on more occasions than one , to compile the history of a Lodge from its minute books , and have been surprised to find how little was recorded therein which might be deemed of general interest , while , on fcho

other hand , we have been struck with the portly volumes some historians have been able to produce from similar details . Perhaps we have chanced to drop npon almost

barren ground ; undoubtedly it appears that Bro . Sfcopher , in dealing with the Lodge of Economy , of Winchester , has not found one of the most prolific sources of informaion .

Bro . Sfcopher starts with a dedication , which we fully endorse , and which we think mighfc be wisely extended to the Craffc in general . He addresses the Past Masters , Officers and Brethren of his Lodge , and

hopes that tbe information contained in the extracts " will increase the interest of the members in the old Lodge , and will add to its popularity and prosperity . " Undoubtedly this must be fche case , for no Mason can look

back on the past career of a Lodge which has existed upwards of one hundred and twenty-seven years without feeling a pride in its doings , or making au effort to promote its welfare on every possible occasion ; we love new friends , but revere the dear , dear friends of old .

The Warrant of the Lodge , which is transcribed in the extracts before us , presents one particular feature of interest to the general body of Masonic students , it beinofche only known instance under the Grand Lodge of " The

Ancients " of a renewal or confirmation of a Warrant , the confirmation in this case having been rendered necessary through the destruction by fire of the original document . The Warrant is not of the usual " confirmation " character

but appears to be a copy of the one firsfc granted , the

original dates and names being inserted , with a note at the end to the following effect : " This Warrant is renewed , the Original having been burnt , this 7 fch April 1801 . " Tbe firsfc Minute Book of the Lodge seems to have met an even worse fate than tbe original Charter , for it appears to have been lost some thirty years ago , without a copy

being available for purpo 3 es of renewal , as was the case with the Warrant . Our Brother Sfcopher is therefore

compelled to start his extracts on the 27 fch December 1802 thafc being the firsfc entry in the Book , which he tells us has on its cover a stamped label , marked " No . Ill , Lod ^ e of Economy . " This first entry , and others later on . are

curious , as recording a proposition that " all the members who had not passed the chair should pass this evening , " by that ceremony , we learn from a later minute , "

becoming prepared to pass the super-excellent degree of the Holy Royal Arch , " the brethren referred to being "installed in form . " Tho second minute , under date 13 fch of

January 1803 , refers to the Lodge as No . 88 , and records

Lodge Histories.

a decision tbat a petition be presented to ihe Lodge at Southampton , praying thafc a member be made a Royal Arch Mason . From this point we do not think we can do better than reproduce the summary of Bro . Stopher ' s work

which recently appeared in a local paper , the Hampshire Independent . This is as follows : —The chair was filled iu 1802 by Bro . Earle . The records show that in fche scanty population of thafc day a second Lodge ( 195 ) existed in

Winchester , and there is an account of a squabble between a brother of each . The walking to chnrch in honour of the Holy Sfc . John fche Baptist was a custom then and since . For a few years the Officers were appointed for six

months . There are various notices of relief to prisoners for debfc in gaol who are Masons . The Lodge in 1806 met on Sunday Eve , and two prisoners of war were initiated . The King's German Legion contributed several initiates ,

and thirteen French officers ( prisoners ) , en route to Portsmouth , visited the Lodge in 1810 . False certificates were used by mendicant brethren . The effects of the conviviality of those times is curiously marked in the

minutes thus : — " Nearly the whole of fche brethren were "indisposed . " This was in 1812 , whilst in 1813 Lord Wellington ' s victory and the patriotism of Englishmen resulted in a " trifliner inconvenience to the intellectual

capacity of some of the brethren , " but they closed in " perfect harmony . " A gastronomic humour in 1813 pervades an entry : — " There was some other business , but

Bro . Wilkinson , having provided an hot supper , and there being a doubfc that ifc mighfc be overdone , ifc was thought proper by the Master to close fche Lodge at 10 past nine iu an harmonious manner . " The union of the two Grand

Lodges in 1814 is recorded in a full minute as a new era . " The first record of the title Lodge of Economy is 1816 , and it is the first mention then of a Provincial Grand Master . A brother ' s child was christened Sfc . John ,

after the patron saint . Eight members of the Royal Gloucester Lodge , Southampton , and five from the Peace and Harmony Lodge , Romsey , attended the Masonic funeral of Bro . Inggs , in October 1819 . In tbe same year

a letter was " read from several Romsey brethren , who propose opening a Lodge there . " As touching music in the ritual , a hand organ was purchased for £ 10 in 1826 , and , after much neglect and a resolution " to dispose of

the organ on the first opportunity , it was balloted for at a five shilling lottery in 1833 , by which time ifcs barrel was much worn . " The foundation stone laying of St . John ' s Hospital , 1833 , and Sfc . Maurice Church in 1840 , are

recorded in the briefest terms for such notable functions . On 12 fch October 1838 , ifc is recorded -fchafc "the brethren of our Lodge visited the Provincial meeting at Southampton , and joined the procession and ceremony

of laying the first stone of Southampton Docks , which was performed by our worthy Brother Sir Lucius Curtis , and an excellent sermon preached at Sfc . Mary ' s Church on the occasion by our Rev . Bro . Brookfield . " The

minutes were confirmed on the 18 th June 1840 by Joseph Lobb P . G . S . by command of the D . P . G . M . An address

was presented to Sir Lucius on his appointment as Provincial Grand Master in 1840 , and next year a letter of condolence was sent to the gallant Admiral—who lived afc Anspach House , Southampton—on the death of his wife , " to which a most kind reply was sent to the W . M . Bro .

Captain Neville . " The minutes of this day conclude as follow : — " Harmony reigned , brotherly love prevailed , and the shouts of Israel were heard afar . " In 1840 au honourable brother is thug recorded : — " Bro . F . Knosyorkis returned the 10 s which he had received as an alms . " Such

an act has not yefc been experienced by the present Masonic Almoners . Attached to the book are copious details and dates of the brethren and Officers for the past eighty-seven years , and the oldest brother mentioned is Brother Jacob Jacob , who was installed in 1824 , and has iust answered

the last summons to " Grand Lodge . " He was , we believe , the oldest Mason in the Province . The Centenary Festival was celebrated on the 29 th January 1861 . The record

shows that the late Bro . J . R . Stebbing obtained recognition of fche Economy by Grand Lodge as a " Centenary Lodgo . " Passing now from the days of long ago we come upon

one ot the mosfc recent events in Masonry , this year ' s installation meeting of the Economy Lodge , of which the following is a brief account : —

ECONOMY LODGE . No . 76

rFJELE installation of Bro . James Harris as W . M ., being the third J- time he has filled thafc honourable position , took place on Wed-