Installation Meetings, &C.

tary" "Tho Masonic Press , " and then "Tho Officers . " During tho evening Bro . H . J . Dean , with tho "British Qnartett , " rendered goodly service ; their programme comprised tho Part Songs , " Tho Happiest Land , " and " Soldier's Life ; " Glee , " Haste , yo Soft

Gales ; " Duet , " The Fisher's Even Hong . " isro . rremeor bung " Firm as Oak , " while Bros . AV . AVells and Edward Collins gavo severally , " Saved from tho Storm , " and " Thinking of Home . " It was very late ere tho AV . M . summoned tho Tyler , who speedily dismissed tho brethren .

Hyde Park Lodge , No . 1425 . —The installation meeting was held on Thursday last , at the AVestbourno Restaurant , Cravenroad , Bayswator . Bro . S . Sones opened the Lodgo , assisted by Bro . D . F . Gellion S . W ., H . J . Alexander J . AV ., AV . Langridgo Treasurer , George Read Secretary , John Headon S . D ., AV . Craig J . D ., J . M . Burd D . C , H . F . Lewis I . G . ; P . M . ' s Bros . A . II . Longhurst , John

Crnttenden , & c . Tho first business of tho evening was the passing of Bro . Kent , this ceremony concluded , Bro . D . F . Gellion was presented and duly installed as Master for tho ensuing year . That part of tho ceremony completed , ho proceeded to invest his Officers as follow -. —Bros . H . J . Alexander S . AV ., John Headon J . AV ., AV . Langridgo Treas ., G . Read Sec , AV . Craig S . D ., H . F . Lewis J . D ., J . F .

Miokelburgh I . G ., AV . Mason D . C . The AV . M . had tho pleasure of presenting , on bohalf of tho Lodgo , a Past Master's jewel to the retiring Master , which gift he hoped Bro . Sones would wear for many years . " Bro . Sones briefly replied , thanking tho members for the kind way in which ho had always been received . Tho report of the auditors was presented , adopted , and ordered to bo recorded on the

minutes , after which tho newly-installed AV . M . closed his Lodgo . Tho banquet which followed was well served , and thoroughly enjoyed . After grace , tho AV ' . M . gavo " Loyalty to the Throno and devotion to the best interests of the Craft , " which combined toast met with a hearty reception . Bro . Sones the I . P . M . now assumed the gavel . The present was tho first time ho had had the pleasure of addressing

them as a Past Master ; ho felt it somewhat a novel position , but ono which he fully appreciated . He called upon the brethren to drink the health of their now Master , who was the first one of the Hyde Park Lodge who had received the benefit of Masonic light in their own Lodge ; he was thereby entitled to special honour . The toast having met a most enthusiastic reception , was acknowledged by the

AV . M ., who thanked the brethren for the confidence thoy had reposed in him ; he hoped to pass through his year of office in a creditable manner . To the toast of the Visitors Bros . Unite , Penn , Murlis , Flood , Bryett , & c . responded . The toasts of tho Past Masters , the Treas . and Sec , and the Officers wero each given and acknowledged , The lateness of tho hour prevented the AV . M . devoting as much time as he wished to the various toasts , but the way in which they wero

proposed , and tho reception which was accorded to each , showed that the members were sincere so far as they did go . Among tho Visitors wero Bros . T . Grammer 172 , AV . Harris 177 , AV . H . Bracher 179 , J . Flood 201 , L . Bryett P . M . 209 83-1 P . G . S . of AV . Berks and Bucks , G . D . P . Thomas 329 , J . Campfield 364 , John Crnttondcn P . M . 503 P . P . G . R , Kent , T . Fisher 733 , W . Gilbert 834 , AV . Butliu 1 ) 12 , AV . AV . Morgan jun , 1385 , AV . Hughes 1612 , AV . J . Murlis P . M . 1612 , Geo . Penn AV . M . 1612 , N . L . Eustum 1670 .

Confidence Lodge , No . 193 . —The members met on Monday , tho 8 th iust . at Anderton ' s Hotel , Fleet-street . Bro . Henry Leah W . M ., Biddell S . AV ., Footctt J . AV ., AA' arno P . M . Treas ., J . Shacked P . M . Sec , James S . D ., Lomaire J . D ., Halo I . G . ; P . M . ' s Reed , L . AVebb , II . AVebb , & c . Tho Lodge was opened and tho minutes wero confirmed . Bros . AV . Ground and A . Stearn being in attendance , and having shown

their proficiency , were raised to tho third degree . Bro . E . hymens was balloted for , and duly initiated into tho Order . The initiation fee now stands at £$ 8 s , joining fee £ _ -is , and annual subscription £ 2 12 s . The Lodge was closed and the brethren partook of a very excellent banquet provided by Bro . Clemow . The W . M . proposed tho usual Loyal and Masonic toasts . Bro . E . P . Albert P . G . P . returned thanks for the Grand Officers . Bro . Reed I . P . M . proposed the

health of the AV . M . in a very happy and fehcitious manner . The AV . M . having replied , tho toasts of the P . M . ' s , Candidates , AVardens , Officers , and Visitors were given , and each toast was responded to . The brethren separated , after passing a very enjoyable evening . The Visitors wore Bros . E . P . Albert P . G . P ., Staton 1267 , Dyer P . M . 45 , AViden 1673 , Buff 907 , Squirell 206 , McPherson 111 , Halle 45 , Thompson 1693 , and AYestern 1693 .

The Fifteen Sections

THE FIFTEEN SECTIONS

Will be ivorlced as under : Ou Good Friday evening , the 19 th instant , at St . Luke ' s Lodge of Instruction , AA'hite Hart Tavern , King ' s-road Chelsea . Bro . P . M . Ardin , Zetland 511 , will tako tho chair ab 0 . 30 p . m . At the Metropolitan Lodge of Instruction , No . 1056 , at the Portugal Hotel , 155 Fleet-street , E . C , on Friday , the 26 th of April , at 6 o ' clock iu tho cveuing precisel y , by tho members of the Lod"o .

Bros . Larchin J . D . 1511 AV . M ., Gush 1541 S . W ., Dickens J . D . 860 J . AV . Fmsr LV . CTVRE—Bros . Kearney 15 W , Hallam J . D . 1319 , Leggott S . AV . 145 , Abell 55 , Snelling 180 , Gush 1511 , Stacey P . M . 180 . SECOND LECTURE—Bros . Creak AV . M . 157 , Squirrell S . AV . 200 , Tate J . D . 8 G 2 , Dickens J . D . 860 , Hall 1549 . THIRD LECTURE—Bros . Vincent AV . M . 1319 , Fox 201 , Rowland D . C . 1511 Bro . AV AV SnoRinc 180 Hon . Sec .

At tho Percy Lodge of Instruction , No . 198 , Bro . Fysh ' s , Jolly Farmers , Southgate-road , Islington , by the members of the Royal Standard Lodge of Instruction , by invitation of the members , on Saturday , 27 th iust .

[ AVo gave the names of those who will assist hero in our last issue ] At the Constitutional Ledge of Instruction , No . 55 , Bedford Hotel , Southampton-buildings , Holborn , on Tuesday , 30 th April . Bro . J . S . Brown 862 will preside on that occasion . Lodge opons at 6 o ' clock .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Correspondents . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications . All Letters must bear the name and address of the TFn ( er , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith .

MILITARY LODGES .

To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —If I rightly understand tho subject of Mili tary Lodges , their raison d ' etre appears to bo this . In timo of peace , a body of troops is often quartered where , from local circumstances , it is next to impossible for thoso among them who may bo members

of our Fraternity to meet together as Masons . There is no reason why they shonld be deprived of tho enjoyment of the privilege of meeting in Lodgo because they are fulfilling their military duties in a place , it may bo , many hundred miles away from tho nearest Lodgo . If then tho authorities havo no objection , it is in tho course of things

that a Grand Master should issue his AVarrant to those members of tho regiment , or other body of troops , who are brethren , under which they may lawfully meet together as a Lodgo , and fulfil tho duties as well as exercise the privileges of Masons . Again , iu war timo , when large bodies of troops aro sent on foreign service , there is no reason

why Military brethren should be deprived of the consolations of Freemasonry , tho beneficent nature of which must tend to alleviate in some slight measure tho troubles and anxieties of campaigning , to say nothing of tho dangers and oven horrors of warfare . Thus , and always assuming that tho Military authorities give their sanction ,

there is excellent reason for the issue of Military Warrants . Even in peace time , tho frequent removal of the Military from one station to another is a justification for tho issue of the warrants . But in England our troops aro mostly quartered in large cities and towns , whero there aro very certain to bo Masonio Lodges already

established , so that Military Craftsmen wonld havo every facility for attending or joining a Lodge . As a consequence , the issue of Military AVarrants would be restricted , aud this will probably explain tho paucity of Military Lodges now as compared -with the early part of this century .

I am , Dear Sir and Brother , Fraternally yours , A CIVILIAN .

Grand Orient And English Freemasonry.

GRAND ORIENT AND ENGLISH FREEMASONRY .

To tlie Lditor of the FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I am glad to find that " T . B . K ., No . 972 , " approves of my objection " to ' AFree-Masou and P . M . ' s ' assertion that' a man who believes iu Buddha would doubtless hesitate iu an English or French Lodge to declare such belief , namely , in a' God . '" But if I understand his letter aright , wo differ on different grounds

, and what is more to the purpose , our difference is of great importance . My point is this—that I see no objection to a Buddhist proclaiming his belief ia God in an English , French , or other Lodge , any more than I do to a Jew or Christian doing precisely the same thing , and for this reason , that under no circumstances is any ono over likely to be called upon to define the nature or attributes of the God he

believes in . It is enough for it to be known that ho is a Deistthat is , that ho recognises tho existence of a Supreme Being . In other words , ho assents to tho doctrine of belief in ° God generally—or , if I may be permitted to say so without running tho risk of being misunderstood , in God in tho abstract ; but b y so doing ho does not recognise the God of

tins or that , or , indeed , of any particular form of religion . Thus my objection is based on the principle of Deism , pure ° and simple , which I believe to bo the essential principle of puro and ancient Freemasonry . If I am to gather from the earlier remarks m his letter that "T . B . R ., No . 972 , " means simply that a Buddhist is no moro likel y to withhold his assent to this princile than a

p Brahmin or a Christian , and has no greater reason for withholding it then I agree with him . Bnt , towards tho end of his letter ho says ' " AVe swear by the G . A . O . T . U ., the < Father' of Christ , of which ho was tho representative , the samo as Buddha was tho ' seed' or representative' of a greater God . " If by " WG" he refers to the Masonic body , I must demur to the first clause of his

sentencc . Our " G . A . O . T . U . " is not " tho 'Father' of Christ . " He would only bo so if all Masons wero Christians , which is not the case . A Jew would not define him in this sense , neither would a Mahommedan . This , iudeed , is of the very essence of the objection which French Masons raise against Deistic Masons , that of them

so many will insist that Deism is tho same thing as Chris , tiamty . I as strenuously object to any definition of tho G . A . O . T . U as Bro . Thcvcuot or any other French Mason , but I do not ' on that account see why the principle of a belief in tho existence of a Supreme Being should be eliminated from tho Masonic system

Fraternall y yours , «<\» 'o *

Messrs . Eeitoo and Sons , of Albemarle-street , W ., have been appointed Purveyors of their " Specialite " Sherry at the Paris Universal Exhibition 1878 .