Visit Of The Provincial Grand Master To Gosport.

and joining members wore proposed , after which tho Chapter was closed . Among those present , in addition to the members already mentioned , wero Comps . E . G . Holbrook P . Z . 309 , G . A . Groen J . 309 , Malt by IT . 487 , Harrison J . 801 , Do Fraino H . 2 r > 7 , Legh Bailov R . E . 257 , Winterbottom 257 , J . Craven II . 312 , A . Riddoll J . 312 , W . Payne S . E . 342 , 11 . Newland N . 31-2 , Simister , R . Barber , Tnrnoy , Norris , and G . Gunnell of 312 , E . Groves , G . Bond , Palsgrave , Le

Messurier , and Gamblen of 487 , Mori tie , Hillior , Powell , Biggs and Exoll P . G . Jan ., and many others . Wo should mention that the Assembly Rooms had been prepared for the ceremony in a most elaborate manner , the walla being tastefully decorated with various flags , while beneath tho canopy over tho first Principal ' s seat on tho raised dais was a handsome Princo of Wales ' s banner . Flowering plants ( kindly lent by Messrs . Legg a » d Son , of Gosport ) were also placed in various parts of the hall .

The ceremony of installing the W . M . of tho Gosport Lodge was commenced at five p . m ., when tho brethren present had an opportunity of noting tho highly impressive and effective manner in which the snblimo ritual of the craft was rendered by the Prov . G . M . At tho conclusion of tho ceremony a vote of thanks to tho G . M ., proposed by the W . M ., and seconded by the I . P . M ., was carried with great

heartiness . The P . G . M ., in reply , expressed tho gratification which he experienced from the continued progress of tho Lodge , and from tho selection of W . M . which had been made , adding that he should not have selected him as Prov . G . Chaplain had ho not known that he was a good and skilful Mason . Referring to the consociation of the Chapter , tho P . G . M . said it was an era in Masonry whon a Lodgo was

sufficiently poworfnl to bo enabled to nave a Chapter attached to it . Ho did not recommend yonng Masons to bo in a hurry to join a Chapter , merely to take a higher degree in Masonry , but ho would venture to counsel them to make themselves well acquainted with tho duties and principles inculcated in tho degrees which they had already passed , before seeking admission to a higher degree . He

mado these remarks in order that brethren might not think it incumbent upon them to proceed to take tho Royal Arch degree the moment thoy wore entitled todoso , withoutduo reflection and a desire really to advance themselves in Freemasonry , and at the same time with a determination to adhero to the principles of tho Order by every means in thoir power . If that was their resolve the higher

degree would give them an opportunity of acquiring more knowledge , and moro extended moans of practising what they had learned . It was resolved to give a donation of £ 20 to tho male fund of tho MasouicBenovolontInstitution , by which tho Lodge will become a vicepresident , which position it holds in the two other Charities of tho craft . Bro . E . G . Holbrook mentioned that ho had undertaken to fill

the office of Steward at tho next Festival of the Boys School , and made an appeal for support , either from tho Lodge or from members , Bro . G . F . Lan caster also mentioned that ho was a Steward for the Benevolent Festival , and indulged in the hope that that Charity might not be forgotten . A Past Master's jewel , which had been voted by the Lodge , was presented to tho I . P . M ., Bro . J . Maling , by the W . M .,

who , amidst tho acclamations of the brethren , referred to the assiduity and zeal with which his predecessor had discharged his duties . The W . M . appointed the officers for tho ensuing year : — Bros . J . Mailing I . P . M ., W . Hillior S . W " ., V . Brown J . W ., C . B . Whitcomb Treasurer , R . W . Mitchell Hon . Secretary , E . Percy Thompson S . D ., G . Grant J . D ., R . W . Downing I . G ., S . W .

Misselbrook Org ., J . W . Warden D . C , Irons and Ferryman Stewards , Cauvin and Vinnicombo Tylers . Thero was oven a moro numerous attendance afc the Lodge than at tbe Chapter , tho unusually largo number of 35 installed Masters being present at tho W . M . 's instal la . tion , viz . —Bros . Beach P . G . M ., W . Hickman D . P . G . M ., Captain Best P . G . S . W ., F . Pineo P . G . J . W ., M . E . Frost P . G . Treasurer , J . E . Le

Feuvre P . G . Secretary , E . G . Holbrook P . G . Reg ., H . M . Emanuel P . P . G . W ., H . Cawtio P . P . G . W ., Wallingford P . P . G . W ., J . Lillywhite P . P . G . R ., De Frame P . P . G . D ., Craven P . P . G . Superintendent of Works , T . Batcholor P . P . G . Superintendent of Works , E . Groves P . G . G . C ., R . Newland P . P . G . D . C , E . S . Main P . P . G . D . C , J . Wilson , H . Sleeman , J . Maling , Whitcomb , G . F . Lancaster , J . Hall and

Morine P . M . 's 903 , F . Court W . M . 257 , L . Baily P . M . 257 , E . Downiug W . M . 309 , Green and Riddle P . M . ' s 309 , Tnrnoy W . M . 342 , Bunting W . M . 48 / , Maltby P . M . 487 , P . G . S . B ., Coles 359 , P . P . G . D . C , Dyer 359 , P . G . S . B ., and Tuohy P . P . G . D . C . The aunual banquet was held at tho India Arms Hotel , Jand was excellently served by Mr . Newman . The W . M . ( Bro . the Rev . E . B . C . Churchill ) presided , supported by the P . G . M ., tho D . P . G . M .

and several Present and Past Provincial OfficerB , " The Queen and tho Craft , " "Tho M . W . G . M . His Royal Highness the Prince of WalesK . G ., " "The M . W . Pro G . M . the Earl of Carnarvon , " "Tho R . W . Deputy G . M . tho Earl of Skelmersdale , and tho Officers of Grand Lodge , " were severally given . The D . P . G . M . ( Bro . Hickman ) as a Past Officer of Grand Lodge , responded , highly eulogising the manner in which the Princo and the Earl of Carnarvon discharged thoir Masonio and other duties .

The W . M ., in giving " Tho R . W . Prov . G . M . of Hants and the Isle of Wight , " said ho was sure tho Gosport Lodge wero very proud to receive him as their guest , and , as the W . M ., ho thanked him for attending to instal him . They all knew that ho was a good , true , and faithful Mason ; how ho was ready to come among them ; and how kind and genial his manner was . Ho was sure they would unite

with him in wishing ho might havo many years to rule over the province . ( Applause . ) The P . G . M ., who had a most enthusiastic reception , said it had been a great pleasure to him to attend to day and witness the success which had attended the working of the Gosport Lodge . It was the duty of the Grand Master , so far as ho could , to visit tho various

Lodges throughout the Province , as by that means alono could he make himself acquainted with tho kind of work that was going on , and the ability of individual Masons , and so arrive at a knowledge of what was really transpiring in Masonry in the Province . After alluding to the difficulty he experienced in paying all the visits that ho desired to make , ho said it gave him great satisfaction to bo

Visit Of The Provincial Grand Master To Gosport.

present and to witness tho prosperity of the Gosport Lodgo . But it would ill become him , offering his congratulations as ho did on the success which attended their efforts , if he did not address a few words to them npon what was really going on in Freemasonry afc tho present timo . He believed that Freemasonry was never so powerful , nerer so great as now . But he desired to impress upon them that , aa

Freemasonry had increased to an unparalleled degree , so had the responsibility attaching to every individual member of tho Craft ( hear , hear ) . They mnsfc remember that as Freemasonry became more powerful , and as Freemasons became more numerous , so their Order attracted moro notice from tho outer world . As long as they wore a comparatively small body they might bo treated as

comparatively insignificant , but directly they became more powerful they attracted notice—and very unpleasant notice in certain quarters ( hear , hear , and laughter ) . Probably there had been no time when Freemasonry had been so bitterly vituperated as of late ( hear , hear , and laughter ) . Thoy inuifc all regret it , but it would ill become them to join in any vituperation on their part ( hear , hear ) . Th ' oy could

afford to let any invective against Freemasonry recoil on thoso who uttered it . When talking among themselves , they could not but feel nstonished afc this invective , because thoy wore conscious how little thoy deserved tboso censures ( applause ) . Theirs was a most harmless and inoffensive Order , attacking no one . They felfc that tho charges levelled against them wore not deserved , but it became moro

their duty to prove that thoy wore not , and to impress upon every Freemason a desiro to do something , if it was possibly in his power , to show that any censure on the Order was undeserved . He hoped all would desiro to show to the outer world that when fchey entered into Freemasonry they entered upon new duties and into a now sphere of existence , imposing upon them tbe paramount obligation

to do their best to maintain tho Order into which they had entered . If that waa the duty thoy felfc in their very hearts , and they did their very best to carry it out , it could not but havo an effect on tho outward lifo of every Freemason . If they could show this to the outer world ; if they could show that a Freemason was permeated by such an intense love for his Order that he

would do anything for its prosperity , and that this prosperity tended to the good of society in general and tho benefit of his fcllow-mon , Freemasonry must indeed exist to a mnch more powerful degree than it had ever done ( applause ) . Lot them do thoir host , in their generation , to maintain the Order they loved . Ho believed that in many parts of the world thoy had zealous Freemasons . In America

probably Freemasonry existed to a greater extent than in any part of the world . But ho believed that in England Freemasomy was carried out in its integrity to a greater extent than in any part of tho earth ( hear , hear ) . In some parts of the world Freemasonry was carried out under difficulties . No doubt , where persecution existed their efforts wero thwarted , and Freemasonry could not bo carried

out to tho same extent and purity that it was where it was suffered to freely exist , according to primeval principles . He trusted that in England Freemasonry would over have free scope . Lot them do their best to promote it , and so long as Freemasons exerted themselves to maintain the Order which had been handed down for hundreds and thousands of years , so long would if ; exist in a more extended and beautiful way than it had ever hitherto done . It was a great

gratification to him to be enabled , in some small degree , to promote the welfare of Freemasonry , and so long as ho was enabled to carry out the wishes of the Grand Master of England in the Province of Hampshire , and to receive the support of the brethren in doing so , so long should he be delighted to continue as their Provincial Grand Master , and to do his best in that capacity ( loud applause ) . The P . G . M ., in highly eulogistic terms , proposed " The W . M ., " aud Bro . the Rev . E . B . 0 . Churchill responded . Other toasts followed

At the meeting of the Whittington Lodge , No . 862 , held on Monday evening , at Anderton ' s Hofol , Meet Street , a proposal was brought forward by Bro . Kingston P . M . and seconded by Bro . W . Jones P . M ., to the effect that tho Lodge in future should hold its meetings at Freemasons '

Hall . The ground on which the proposal was made was a very proper one , namely , that our Lodge meetings should be held , as in Scotland , not at hotels and taverns , bnt in buildings specially erected for Masonic purposes . We refer to the subject elsewhere .

THE POPE AND THE EMPKESS EUGENIE . —Wo ( Westminster Gazette ) learn , on good authority from Rome , that the young Prince Louis Napoleon has been initiated , by Prince Humbert , into tho mysteries of Italian Freemasonry . The Pope is very dissatisfied with tho conduct of the ex-empress Eugenie and of her son . Pins IX . had advised the young Princo to quit Ital y as soon as possible . This

judicious advico , however , has not been followed ; on the contrary , the Empress has been very assiduous in her visits to the Quirinal , and is in constant intercourse with those of the noble families in Rome who are partisans of King Victor Emanuel . For these reasons tho Popo refused to dispense , with his own hands , the Holy Com . munion both to tho Empress and tho Princo . As the Empress

Eugenie's request was made to him , tho Pope said , "Anche , l ' altro prese la Santa Comunione a Sanb'Anna dorata , " By the " other " the Pope meant Napoleon III . The Pope held up , as an example to the Empress and the Prince , the conduct of Don Carlos , who , on his recent visit to Rome , sought the Apostolic blessing , and , on advico , at onco took his departure from Italy .