A Representative Gathering.

A REPRESENTATIVE GATHERING .

THE Masonic event of the week haa undoubtedly been the installation meeting of the Drury Lane Lodge , which took place on Tuesday , at Drury Lane Theatre , under the presidency of Lord Londesborongh , the first Worshipful Master of the Lodge .

It has been our pleasure in the past to refer from time to time to the establishment and progress of Lodges restricted to certain classes of the community ; restricted , that is to say , in so far as actual membership is concerned , and in

many instances the success which has attended these class Lodges has been of such a character as to induce the query whether a general adoption of the system would not prove more beneficial to the Order than a continuance of the old

fashioned open and general character of Freemasonry . Undoubtedly in certain cases too muoh of a mixture is likely to take away some of the charm which should surround our meetings , but we dread to think what would be

the result of adopting a hard and fast limit in every case . We were present at a meeting a few weeks back where one of the Past Masters of the Lodge enlarged , in humorous strain , on the Universality of Freemasonry , and although

his remarks were addressed particularly to the initiates of the evening , they were listened to with interest by all present , and were pronounced by some of the older members as the plainest and simplest explanation of a difficult

subject they had ever listened to . They had in their Lodge , said the Past Master referred to , brethren of various ages , ranks , and professions , so much so that a member need not go beyond that Lodge for almost everything that could

be needed during his stay on earth . He had on his right a brother who was eminently qualified to assist at a birth , as he had at that of many of the rising generation of the day , whilst around him he saw others who could

provide for any want from the moment they left the hand of the doctor . We will not enlarge on our . brother ' s remarks throughout ; suffice it to say that he found a member of the Lodge for almost every business , and wound up by pointing

to another Officer on whom , he said , they might rely for a certificate of death when , unfortunately , that took place . This particular Lodge was an example of good feeling , so that we need go no further for a specimen of a happily

mixed Lodge . Neither need we search far for a happy class one ; as we have surmised above , the good fellowship prevailing in those restricted to certain classes is

proverbial , while in many instances their success has been of such a character as to awaken the envy of many longer estab - lished but less progressive in their development .

The Drury Lane Lodge may be described as a strange mixture of class and open Lodge ; it is in a measure restrictive in regard to its membership , at the same timo it may be described as one of the most representative Lodces

in the Kingdom ; in its midst are to be found the heads of most of the prominent professions , as well as some who shine as leaders in the ranks of commerce . There must always be a surrounding of grandeur attaching to a Lodge

meeting in such a building as Drury Lane Theatre , the very atmosphere of which is sufficient to arouse in many of us feelings of veneration and respect . Veneration for

the many men who have been associated within its walls in years gone by , and respect for those who at the present day are striving to maintain that dignity the stage has won both here and elsewhere . When in addition to this we

A Representative Gathering.

have almost as grand a Masonic gathering as is possible , it is not surprising such a meeting should receive special notice and attention . Bro . Augustus Harris , the present Worshipful Master of

the Lodge , certainly deserves congratulation on the success which has attended the commencement of his term of office ; and he is undoubtedly deserving of thanks for the way in which ho has striven to ensure the happy termination

of the year of his predecessor , althongh we may bo wrong in singling out any brother for special praise in connecwith the past career of this Lodge , all having done well . Indeed , the Lodge may be said to stand foremost at the

present day among our pattern Lodges , as worthy of imitation on all hands and on all sides , while the celebration we fully chronicle elsewhere in connection with its first anniversary may justly be described as a representative gathering .

The Grand Treasurership.

THE GRAND TREASURERSHIP .

rpHE contest for the post of Grand Treasurer of England - * - this time promises to be more severe than on any occasion since the office came to be recognised as one to be held only for a single year . Indeed , if there is not an exceptionally large attendance of brethren on the

occasion of the election—which will form part of the business to be transacted at the next Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge , on Wednesday , the 2 nd March—it will

not be for want of frequent urging on tho part of thoso who are taking an interest iu the return of one or other of the two candidates . We certainly must compliment both the candidates and the committees working for them on

the way in which they are striving to make the election as much a representative one as possible , and to this end thoy are desirous to ensure a large attendance of brethren on the day when the question has to be decided .

In our last issue we devoted somo portion of our space to a recital of Bro . Godson's qualifications for the honour he seeks , and since that recital appeared we have been asked by some of the supporters of Bro . Eve—the other

candidate for the appointment—if we would give similar publicity to the details of his Masonic career . We feel we should not be fulfilling our mission if wc closed our pages to any section of the Craft , or disregarded the views of

even one of its members , and therefore we take this , the earliest opportunity , of acceding to tho request . In doing so we feel convinced we shall be acting in accordance with the wishes of Bro . Eve ' s fellow candidate , whose first

desire , as we said last week , was that the election should take place without any previous canvass—a wish , strange to say , also repeated in the address of tho Secretary of Bro . Eve ' s Committee . We will not attempt to decide who

commenced the canvass , now that each of the committees attach blame to the opposite side , bnt we can bear testimony to the activity which is being displayed by both parties in the contest .

It is now several months since the announcement was made public by us that Bro . Godson would be nominated for the appointment , and as some time previous to that we had pledged ourselves to assist him , we are sure Bro . Eve will not desire us to do more thau wish him all

the support he deserves . Althongh we hope to see Bro . Godson returned at the head of the poll , we are ready to admit that the qualifications of Bro . Eve are of such a