Reports Of Meetings.

REPORTS OF MEETINGS .

— : o : — PROVINCIAL .

PHCENIX LODGE , No . 94 . THE annual installation and investiture of Officers was held on Wednesday , 1 st inst ., at Sunderland , under the presidency of Bro . T ; O . Todd W . M ., who was supported by a large number of Members and visitors from neighbouring Lodges . The S . W . Bro . E . H . Tilley was installed hy Bro . 3 . D . Todd P . M . P . P . G . S . B ., and invested the Officers for the year .

At the conclusion of the Lodge the Brethren dined together at the Palatine Hotel , and after the usual Loyal toasts the health of the new W . M . was proposed , and accepted with hearty approval .

LOYAL CAMBRIAN LODGE , No . IIO . THE closing meeting of the year was held at the Masonic Hall , Merthyr-Tydvil , on Thursday , 2 nd inst ., when Bro . J . M . Berry was elected Worshipful Master for 1898 , in succession to Bro . T . Wake , the present holder of the office .

BRITISH UNION LODGE , No . 114 . THE anniversary meeting was held at the Masonic Hall , Ipswich , on Thursday , 2 nd inst ., when Bro . Harry Jones was installed Worshipful Master , the installation ceremony being impressively performed by Bro . Sir W . Neville Abdy , Bart . After the banquet and the Loyal toasts Bro . Hayward gave that of the Provincial Grand Master Lord Henniker , the Deputy Provincial Grand

Master the Kev . C . . J . Martyn , and the Provincial Officers present and past . He spoke of the interest which both the Provincial Grand Master and Deputy Provincial Grand Master took in Masonry in Suffolk , and prophesied that so long as they continued that interest they might rest assured that Masonry would flourish in the Province . He coupled vnth the toast the names of Bros . Bead and Miller , both of whom suitably replied .

Bro . Gibb , in submitting the toast of the evening , the Worshipful Master Bro . Harry Jones , remarked that now he had passed the rubicon he had the greatest pleasure in passing on his mantle of the honour and glory attaching to his office to their Master , because he was quite sure that those emblems could not devolve upon another Brother moro worthy than Bro . Jones . He ¦ was sure Bro . Jones would perform tha duties of his office with honour ,

dignity and credit to himself , and to the satisfaction of the L ° clge . He was indebted to Bro . Jones , as his Senior Warden , for the assistance and help he had given him , and the good example he had shown the other Officers of the Lodge . He hoped he would have a very prosperous year of office , and that at its conclusion he would have as much satisfaction as he had in handing over the honour to a Brother as worthy as himself . The toast was received with full Masonic honours ;

The Worshipful Master , in response , thanked Bro . Gibb for the too nattering way in which he had proposed his health , and the Brethren for the very kind and enthusiastic way in which they had received it . He assured them that it was a very proud moment of his life to be able to address them as Worshipful Master of the British Union Lodge . When he saw the grand

array of Past Masters who had assembled round that table he felt still more proud . He would do his utmost to make his year of o & ce a success , and he could not do more . He hoped he should receive , as he knew he would , the assistance of his Officers , because a great deal depended upon the Officers in carrying out the duties of the Lodge . Other toasts followed .

LODGE OF INTEGRITY , No . 163 . THE regular Lodge meeting was held at the Freemasons' Hall , Manchester , on Wednesday , 24 th ult ., Bro . H . A . Owles W . M . There * was no business of a special character , and Bro . Owles had an opportunity

of bringing before the notice of the Brethren the fact of a most lamentable and fatal accident which had occurred upon the previous day to the Countess of Lathom , referred to in the obituary column of our issue of 27 th November . It was unanimously voted that a letter of condolence be forwarded to Lord Lathom Pro Grand Master , on his terrible bereavement .

The Secretary was also instructed to write a simihar letter of condolence to Bro . 3 . E . Mead , a member of the Lodge of Integrity , sympathising with him in the unfortunate loss which he had sustained by the death of his wife , who had been snatched away from him by acute pneumonia two days previous to the Lodge meeting .

LOYAL BERKSHIRE LODGE OF HOPE , No . 574 . THE meeting for the election of Worshipful Master and other Officers was held in the Temperance Hall , Newbury , on Friday , 3 rd inst ., under the presidency of Bro . H . D . O . W . Astley , who was supported by Bro . Keyser and other Past Masters . A ballot having been taken for Worshipful Master for the ensuing year , the choice of the Brethren fell upon the Senior Warden Bro . Stephen Knight jun ., who was initiated in 1890 , since which he has filled the various Offices in the Lodge .

The newly elected W . M . will be installed at the January Lodge , by his father , Past Master Knight P . Prov . G . S . D ., who was initiated in 1874 , and became Worshipful Master in 1880 . The Brethren re-elected Past Master Belcher as Treasurer , Past Master Knight as Almoner , and Bro . Legg as Tyler .

Bro . the Bev . W . M . Hope P . M . Chaplain of the Lodge delivered an interesting lecture on " The history of the Lady Freemason . " The Brethren subsequently partook of supper at the Queen ' s Hotel .

LODGE OF FAITH , No . 581 . THE regular meeting was held at the Gransmoor Hotel , Openshaw , on Wednesday , 17 th ult ., Bro . William Jones W . M . ' The principal business of the evening was that of electing Officers for the ensuing financial year , with the result that Bro . Kobert Adshead S . W .

Reports Of Meetings.

was unanimously chosen as W . M .-elect , and Bro . Henry B . Brown P . M . as Treasurer , and Bro . Councillor James Pollitt as Charity Bepresentative . This over , Bro . Thomas Tyers P . M . delivered the historical charge of the third degree to a very appreciative audience . At the festive hoard , the usual Loyal and Masonic- toasts were pleasantly varied by songs , recitations , & c , given by Bros . Charles Griffiths S . D ., J . T . Moorhouse , Arthur Mellor , W . M . B . Boyd 1166 , E . Koberts P . M . 1459 and others .

, Bro . Adshead proposed the health of the W . M ., who , in return , introduced that of the W . M .-elect , to which the latter responded . Bro . Tyers proposed the health of Bro . Councillor Pollitt , and mado a very appropriate reference to the fact of his having recently become a member of that body usually denominated the Manchester " City Fathers , " wishing Bro . Pollitt every success .

LODGE OF INSTRUCTION , No . 581 . rri HE second of the twice-monthly meetings in connection with the above 1 was held at the Old Boar's Head , Manchester , on Tuesday , 30 th ult . Bro . G . W . Davies P . M . occupied the principal chair , and opened the Lodge , when the minutes of tho former meeting were read by Bro . Alfred Hebden

P . M . P . P . G . D . D . C . and confirmed . Lodge was then advanced , and Bro . Davies vacated the chair in favour of Bro . George T . Lenard P . M . Treas ., who performed the ceremony of raising . The other chairs were occupied by Bros . Matthew Goth and H . E . Massie as Senior and Junior Wardens respectively .

Bro . Herbert Hellewell S . D . delivered the historical lecture , gave the ancient charge , and explained the tracing board of the third degree , his work being done in an exceedingly creditable manner . The next meeting was to be held on Thursday , 9 th inst ., when the yearly election of Officers would take place .

ST . JOHN LODGE , No . 673 . rriHE members held their first social evening at the Masonic Hall , Hope JL Street , Liverpool , on Tuesday , 30 th ult ., when Bro . Edgar W . M . and Mrs . Edgar received upwards of 180 members and visitors . During the interval a valuable presentation of a secretaire and chair was made to Bro . F . Jenkins I . P . M ., as a mark of esteem and regard from the Brethren of the Lodge . An excellent banquet was provided at 6 - 30 p . m ., after which a programme of songs , See ., was rendered .

CLIFTON LODGE , No . 703 . THE installation meeting was held on Thursday , 2 nd inst ., at the Palatine Hotel , Blackpool , when Bro . A . Kay S . W . was inducted into the chair , in the presence of the largest , most important , and most brilliant gathering ever known in connection with the Lodge .

ROYAL CLARENCE LODGE , No . 976 . THE annual festival took place at the Masonic Boom , Bruton , on the 2 nd inst ., and there was a good attendance , including Brethren from neighbouring Lodges . Bro . Randolph Woodforde S . W . 976 was duly installed as W . M . for the ensuing year , the ceremony being performed by Bro . B . C . Else D . P . G . M . Som . P . G . D . England . Other business was transacted , and the officers appointed .

KINGSTON LODGE , No . 1010 . ON Thursday , 2 nd inst ., the annual installation of Worshipful Master took p lace at the Masonic Hall , Kingston-square , Hull . The choice of the Brethren had been bestowed upon Bro . Walter Fred . Harris , who was duly installed to the highest position in the Lodge , tho imposing ceremony being performed by Bro . Dr . H . Woodhouse P . M . P . P . G . K ., who was assisted by Bro . Colonel W . H . Wellsted , J . P ., P . P . G . D ., and Bro . Colonel H . Fawcett Pudsey P . P . G . D . There was a very large attendance of Brethren .

The annual banquet was subsequently held , at whioh Bro . Dr . Woodhouse proposed the toast of the evening the health of the W . M . and Officers of the Kingston Lodge . He said he supposed the question which invariably occurred to their minds on these occasions was : What were the qualifications to entitle a Mason to aspire to the chair of K . S . ? They answered that question according to their own various views , but from whatever standpoint

they viewed it , he was certain that Bro . Harris answered everything . The Kingston Lodge held a unique position in the city , as they gathered together mainly those in the professional walks of life . He had been pleased to place the coping-stone , as it were , in position that night , being the completion of the work which he began six years ago , when ho laid the foundation-stone of

Bro . Harris ' s Masonic career , by initiating hirn as a member . of the Craft during his mastership , and he had been delighted to see the steady progress he had made up the Masonic ladder . After humorous reference to the noble ambitions they set themselves , as suggested by the consonant" P , " the speaker alluded to the admirable selection of Officers made by the W . M .

Bro . W . F . Harris , on rising to respond , met with an enthusiastic reception . He said he had been extremely diffident in following the names of the many eminent Masons who had been Masters of the Kingston Lodge —its prestige was a precious jewel , still he would cherish that which had been bequeathed to him by bis predecessors . He recognised the responsibilities attached to his onerous Office , but ho knew he should have their kind and generous assistance in carrying out his duties . The visit of the

Masters that night from the sister Lodges was an augury of the goodwill and fellowship which had always marked their relationship with the other Brethren of the city . It had been an especial pleasure to him to receive his installation at the hands of Bro . Dr . Woodhouse , who had devoted much labour and time in interpreting with considerable ability the sublime Masonic ritual , and they were greatly indebted to him for the sacrifice of time which this had involved .

Bro . Colonel Wellsted , J . P ., P . M ., in complimentary terms proposed the Immediate Past Master and his Officers , to which Bro . Judge responded .

HUYSHE LODGE , No . 1099 . AT the annual installation banquet held on Wednesday , 1 st inst ., at the Freemasons' Hall , Plymouth , Bro . W . J . Penrose W . M . presided over a large gathering .