Notices Of Meetings.

NOTICES OF MEETINGS .

PRINCESS OF WALES LODGE , No . 570 . ON Monday last , 10 th November , this military Lodge , whioh is associated with tho 5 th Dragoon Guards , held its regular meeting at the Freemasons' Hall , Cooper-street , Manchester . The Lodge was opened in dne form and with solemn prayer at seven p . m . by the W . M . Bro . Knights , Staff Sergeant of the Regiment . The minutes were read and confirmed , and then the ballot was taken for Captain Harkness . This having proved unanimous , the

candidate was prepared , and initiated by the W . M . in a most efficient manner , every part of the ceremony of the degree being gone through by the W . M . to the delight of each brother present , including the visitors , who , on this occasion , mustered over seventy . This being the election night , the ballot waa taken for a W . M . eleot , and in a few well chosen and truly Masonio terms , the W . M .

submitted the name of the Senior Warden , Major Baldrey , as W . M . eleot . The announcement was received with applause , while , we may add , the vote was unanimous . Bro . Major Baldrey , in very graceful terms , acknowledged the honour he had received . Bro . Hicks , schoolmaster of the Regiment , was then admitted as a joining member . Hearty good wishes were 'expressed by the Visiting

Brethren , amongst whom were Bros . P . M . s Salmon , Nathan , Edwards I . P . M . Wolseley Lodge , No . 1993 , and seven others from the same Lodge j P . M . ' s Benson , Jnpp , Aldred , Senior , and about seven others , whose names were not noted at the time by onr correspondent , Lodge was then closed in military style , and in true Masonic order , at half-past eight p . m ., by the Worsbipfnl Master

With the usual courtesy of military men all the Visitors were nrged to join the brethren at thejfestive board , and an excellent programme of music , singing and reciting was gone through . Bro . Saul , Troop Sergeant Major , sang a humorous song , " Noah's Ark , " and rendered it right merrily . Bro . Gifford P . M ., Riding Master of the Regiment , who possesses a stentorian voice of good volume , sang the " Warrior

Bold , and Bro . Jnpp rendered excellently " Dearer than Life . Bro . Senior P . M ., in a most pleasing and effeotive manner , sang " Love ' s Request . " The Worshipful Master then proposed the Officers of the Lodge , and in his remarks mentioned that his first toast would have been our newly-made member Captain Harkness , bnt as that brother had been obliged to leave he should defer the

pleasure of proposing his health until tbe next meeting ; he , therefore , had much pleasure in submitting the toast named , and in doing so thanked the Officers for the very liberal support they had given him during his year of office . His thanks were especially due to his Senior Warden Major Baldrey , who he was sure would make a Worshipful Master second to none of his predecessors . The toast was

responded to by Major Baldrey , who expressed a hope that , at the end of another year , his brethren might not regret tho ohoice they had made . Several songs were afterwards sung , in excellent style , by Visitors , when the Worshipful Master having handed the gavel to his S . W ., that brother proposed the health of the Visitors in a warm and enthusiastic manner . The toast

was responded to by Bros . Salmon , Riddlo , Aldred , Senior , Gouldrey , Edwards and Hiue , each one expressing his delight with the Masonic and musical treat all present must have enjoyed . Bro . Darbyshire P . M . asked permission from the W . M . to give a recitation , in order somewhat to vary the programme , bnt more especially to Bhow his gratitude for the very kind manner he , along with his

seven brethren from the Wolseley Lodge , together with the rest of the Visitors , had been entertained , and to mark the fact that at the special invitation of the W . M . the brethren of the Lodge bearing the honourable name of Wolseley had attended so numerously . They , one and all , cordially invited the members of the Military Lodge to

the next , or any meeting of the Wolseley Lodge , whioh , he remarked , assembled on the first Tuesday in every month at the Lodge-roomB , Town Hall-buildings , King-street , Manchester . The brethren concluded the proceedings at 10 . 46 by singing the National Anthem .

Constitutional Lodge of Instruction , No . 55 . —A meeting was held on Tuesday , 11 th instant , at the Bedford Hotel , Southampton-buildings , W . C . Present—Bros . Richardson W . M ., Triggs S . W ., Tongue J . W ., Snodin Treasurer , Simpson Seoretary , Cornu S . D ., Saunders J . D ., Coleman I . G ., Fox Preceptor ; P . M . ' s Bros . Brown , Dodson , Gush , Gladwell ; Bros . Main , Parsons , Sayers ,

Trinder , Underwood , & o . Lodge was opened in due form and minutes of last Lodge meeting were read and confirmed . Brother Parsons answered the usual questions previous to passing , and was entrusted . Lodge was opened in the second degree , and the first and fourth sections were worked by P . M . Brother Brown , the second

section by P . M . Bro . Dodson , and the third by Bro . Snodin . All performed their work in a very efficient manner . The ceremony of passing was rehearsed , Bro . Parsons acting as candidate . Lodge was resumed . Bro . Triggs was elected W . M . for the ensuing week . The Fifteen Sections will be worked on Tuesdays , 26 th November and 2 nd December , at seven o ' clock . Brethren are cordially invited .

Prosperity Lodge of Instruction , No . 65 . —A meeting was held on Tuesday last , at Bro . Maidwell ' s , Hercules Tavern , Leadenhall-street . Present—Bros . Rich W . M ., Schadler , Ferry , Walker Hon . Sec , Dyson , Haller , B . Haynes , Hills , Buggin , Steed , Stafford , Rase , Marshall , Weil , Fellheimer , H . Haynes , Valentine ,

Maidwell , and Moss Preceptor . After the preliminaries of Lodge being opened and closed , the brethren sat down to a most excellent supper , provided by the esteemed Treasurer Bro . Maidwell , after which the following toasts were proposed : —Queen and Craft ; the W . M . ; Success to the Prosperity Lodge of Instruction , responded to by Bro . Mo 3 S . A small compliment was then paid to tho wife of Bro .

Notices Of Meetings.

Moss , the brethren having subscribed and purchased an album , whioh the W . M . presented to Bro . Moss , who suitably thanked the brethren . The Officers' toast was given and replied to by the Treasnrer and Secretary . A most enjoyable meeting was then brought to an end . During the evening Bros . Stafford , Valentine , Hall , Maid , well and Hills gave some capital songs and recitations .

Royal Alfred Lodge of Instruction , No . 780 . —A meeting was held at the Star and Garter Hotel , Kew Bridge , on Friday , 31 st Ootober , at 7 p . m . Present—Bros . Andrews W . M ., Turner S . W ., Taylor J . W ., Houghton 2032 S . D ., Sapsworth 16 S 6 J . D ., F . Botley I . G ., C . E . Botley Seoretary ; also Bros . H . H . Hodges P . P . G . S . W . Berks and Bucks , E . Monson jun ., Courlander , P . Monson , Sherrin , Cammell , Sperring , G . Thomas , V . Wing , G . Gardner , & o .

Visitors—Bros . James Stevens P . M . P . Z ., & o ., Col . J . Mead 1971 , Garner 1602 , Hnnt 1656 , Cutbill 902 , 795 , Cox 780 , & o . This being the night set apart for Bro . Jas . Stevens " Knobs and Exorescences , " the W . M ., in a few graceful words , introduced the Leotnrer , expressing his cordial agreement in the valae of suoh lectures to zealous students of the Craft . Bro . Stevens then commenced , prefacing his

remarks by an apology for hoarseness he was suffering from ; ho only lately having recovered from an attack of bronchitis . Proceeding , he explained that he had no authority for the uniformity of ritual whioh he advocated , but wished to ventilate the subject by lay . ing his ideas before the brethren ; from his point of view he considered it essentially necessary when one saw the diversity of

working in many Lodges . Tracing the history of Freemasonry , Bro . Stevens expressed his opinion that Speculative Masonry , as we now know it , oannot be traced further back than the year 1717 , although there is no donbt that the Guilds of Masons existed for centuries before , and probably the ritual existed in mannsoript anterior to this date , since whioh time it has been transmitted

orally . After noticing many anoient works which had been written on the snbjeot of Freemasonry , and the erroneous ideas which prevailed among the general public concerning onr rites and oeremonies , the Leotnrer explained that a Lodge could be opened in one plaoe and olosed in another , and expressed his approval , where it was possible , for the Lodge to be " called off" for the banquet to be

held , and then for the Lodge to be " called on " again and olosed ; this , he explained , was an advantage in case it was necessary to remind brethren that , although at the banquet table , they were expected to observe the order and decornm of open Lodge . Bro . Stevens expressed his high approval of music as an adjunct to the ceremonies when it was properly carried out , bnt pointed out tbe

ridiculous anomaly in some Lodges where an Organist is appointed who does not know a note of mnsic . He also condemned the indiscriminate use of the gavel , and said when it was used it shonld be used gently , and not as though it was intended to show how mnoh force could be expended without breaking it . The Lecturer particularly referring to the first degreee , the proper method of opening

a Lodge was gone through and explained , and a preference was given to asking each Officer his duties instead of through the Wardens . It was also pointed out that each of the three principal Officers had a particular Officer appointed to attend on him . Thus the S . D . is the Officer of the W . M ., the J . D . that of the S . W ., and the I . G . that of the J . W . The initiation ceremony was then touched

upon through its minor variations : while the correct way of working was pointed out and explained , also the pass words . Bro . Stevens excited the mirth of the brethren by an account of some working he saw in the West of England , where theatrical effects of a startling character to the candidate were introduced ; these only required a little blue fire to make them as weird as the witches in Macbeth .

Bro . Stevens , who had been attentively listened to , and frequently applauded , then concluded , with an earnest appeal to the brethren to think over the matters he had bronght before them , so as to seoure such working as would expunge what was meaningless , and at the same time enhance the beauty of our oeremonies , offering to explain the ground he took to any brother who was desirous of information .

Bro . Stevens then resumed his seat , having been speaking for two and a-half hours . He received the hearty congratulations of all present . Bro . C . E . Botley proposed that a hearty vote of thanks , to be entered on the minntes , be given to Bro . Jas . Stevens P . M . P . Z ., & C , for his most interesting lecture , and that the members further confer on him the honorary membership of the Lodge . This

was seconded by Bro . F . Botley , and unanimously agreed to . Bro . Stevens expressed his thanks for the honour the Lodge had done him . Bro . J . Hnnt 1656 and Bro . H . Sapsworth 1656 and 2032 were elected members . Nothing further offering for the good of Freemasonry , the Lodge adjourned until Friday , 7 th November , at eight o'clock .

Hyde Park Lodge of Instruction , No . 1425 . —A meeting was held on the 10 th inst ., at the Fountain ' s Abbey Hotel , 111 Praed-streot , Paddington . Present—Bros . Mason W . M ., Purdue S . W ., Green J . W ., Rev . M . Haine Chap . 205 Chaplain , Read Treas ., Dehane Secretary , Laurence S . D ., Cruttenden J . D ., Brown I . G ., Batley Steward , P . M . 's Spiegel , Andrews , Capt . Nicols , Cbalfont ,

Levy , Morgan ; also Bros . Liohtenfeld , Le Clair , Simpson , Dickinson , Day , Ferrier , Cliburn , Fowler , Mote , Robinson , Laundy , Eastgate , Monson , Webb , Wood . Visitors—C . L . Boswell 1339 , H . W . Boswell 1339 , Blake 1834 . Lodge was opened in ancient form , and the minutes of last meeting wero read and confirmed . The brethren were then called off and on . After tho usual preliminaries the

ceremony of raising was rehearsed , Bro . Wood candidate . Bro . W . W . Morgan was then introduced by the W . M ., and delivered his popular lecture on " The Masonio Institutions . " Bros . Haine Chaplain 205 , C . L . Boswell 1339 , A . G . Boswell 1339 , Blake J . D . 834 were elected members . A cordial vote of thanks and honorary membership was unanimously voted to Bro . Morgan for his services Lodgo was then closed until 17 th November at 8 p . m .