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some excellent vocal and instrumental music . This Lodge is in a very flourishing condition , and , through ita Benevolent Association , has benefited the Charities of the Order to the extent of £ 1300 .

PORTCULLIS LODGE , No . 2038 . rpHE installation of Bro . Louoh took place at the Town Hall , on J- the 12 th inst . The ceremony was performed by Bro . Else D . P . G . M . P . G . D . England . The W . M . invested and appointed his Offir-nrn . nn fnllnw _ —Rrnn . TTnmnhr « T T PM Onus A S VV f ! nnr » h ~

mm--. -m . . — .. — . . . m . j j m .- , v . v m ,. ..., m . ^ -m , ^ J . W ., Goodford Chaplain , Paul Treasurer , Reynolds Secretary , Pittard S . D ., Bonning J . D ., Payn Dir . of Cere ., Brackenbury I . G ., Sharp Organist , Gillett Tyler . A banquet was afterwards held at the Langport Arms Hotel , under the presidency of the W . M . Visitors from Taunton , Wellington , Chard , Uighbridge , Yeovil , Bruton , Sherborne , aud other Lodges were present .

LENNOX BROWNE LODGE , No . 2318 . W ITHIN the last few years the custom of a Freemasons' Lodge giving a banquet to the ladiea once a year has been on the increase . The Province of Essex for the first time assayed the task on Saturday last , when the brethren of the Lennox Browne Lodge assembled in force at the Eoebuok Hotel , Buckhurst Hill , when the

occasion was made the more important by an official visit from the Provincial Grand Master , and several of his Officers . The Lodge was opened punctually at half-past three , by the W . M . Bro . H . Ffrenoh Bromhead , and shortly afterwards the Prov . Grand Master ( Lord Brooke , M . P . ) , aud his Provincial Grand Officers entered in procession to the strains of the organ . The Lodge was opened np to the t . hirH and two hrerliren wero raisei" * tn f * ha nnblimn dno-rna nf MM . — —— —— — — — —

, -- - o After the Lodge was closed , the ladiea ( who had in the meanwhile been entertained in the drawing room ) were escorted to tbe banquet room , where Lord Brooke and his Officers took places according to their respective rank . Seats were arranged for 144 guests , at seven tables . After tho removal of the cloth , the following toasts were Kiven *—The health of Her Maiestv the Queen and prosperity to the

Craft was proposed from the ohair , and duly honoured , after whioh Rro . Scoreaby-Jackaon proposed the Most Worshipfnl the Grand Master H . R . H . the Prince of Wales and the rest of the Grand Officers Present and Past in eulogistic terms . Bro . T . J . Railing replied on behalf of the Provincial Grand Lodges of Essex ; be said that he and his brother Grand Officers esteemed it a privilege to be there that evening . Tbe chairman next proposed the Bight

Worshipful the Provincial Grand Master the Lord Brooke , M . P . He thought he might adopt an expression used in his hearing by a clerical gentleman a short time since , and say that that was one of the most unique meetings of the " mutual admiration society " ever held in Essex . He was not going to let out any of the secrets of

Freemasonry , but Freemasonry taught them to admire and to practise in their everyday life all that they saw good and honourable and praiseworthy in tbe conduct of others , and it also taught them to avoid that which did not become the character of the honourable Order to whioh they belonged . Two years ago Lord Brooke placed his Masonio hand npon that Lodge , and it breathed the breath of life as the Lennox . Browne Lodge , when the Founders upon that occasion had the honour of naradinc in front of the Right Worshipfnl the

Provincial Grand Master ; to-day they mustered some sixty men , true and honourable to the cause of Freemasonry . He did not believe in flattery unless it was trne ; but it was a solemn truth that Lord Brooke was a nobleman and a gentleman who had identified himself with Fn-einasoury . and whose manner towards the brethren

had so endeared him to them , that every Freemasons in Essex truly loved the name of Lord Brooke . Lord Brooke , M . P ., in tbe course of his reply , said he found it especially difficult to return thanks for the toast of his health in the presence of so critical an audience as that of the ladies whom he saw around him . As the Worshipful Master had said , it might occur to the minds of some of

the ladies present that there might fall from the lips of some unguarded Mason some expression whioh might , perhaps , be distorted into a betrayal of secrecy . He was , however , quite sure that the ladies felt there was no secret but one that they the brethren had not in common with them , and that they ( the ladies ) were too kindly disposed towards them to expect them to betray that secret , which for years and years past tbey had BO sacredly kept within their Masonic breasts . If that night the ladies had had some slight

insight into what took place on Masonic occasions of rest and refreshment , he hoped they would not carry away anything but pleasing recollections , and that they would believe him when he aaid there were serious moments in whioh they tried to remind each other of those noble princip les and secrets founded upon chanty which had an \ nnty inn-nii-prl and animated their Order . Of coarse . FreemHSonrv

dftted back to very early times—at least there were early traditions of Freemasonry—bnt he believed it was only ab > nt the beginning of tbe last century that the Freemasons of England became a consolidated and powerful body . Two of tho mombers of the tami Eoyal Family , the Duke of Kent aud tbe Dnke of Sussex , weio piincipally instrumental in bringing together and in uniting Freemasonry in this conntry . In Scotland Freemasonry was of somewhat

older date , and he felt prond to think that at oue time , bsfora tho Order was constituted as it was at the present one who was related to him by marriage , the head of the Sinclair of Rosslyn family , was always looked upon as the hereditary head of the Order in Scotland . He could iu no case ccine across an occasion npon whicb ladies were initiated into the mysteries of Freemasonry . The

only occasion oo which Indies were intended to be initiated as Masons—he was not speaking of Manue proper , but of building masons—was when those Masons had died , and their widows and daughters had to be sworn in in order to enable them to complete the Masonio contracts they had undertaken . It was said that upon oue occasion an inquisitive lady got inside a olock , bnt history did i , ot soy what happened to hor , except that she was sworn in a mumbjr ,

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and that she never divulged tho secret . Ho did not wish on that ! occasion to say anything personal , but he could not help thinking that there must be something in Freemasonry if it could induce a woman to hold her tongue . He might say that Freemasonry should be encouraged by ladies , because there was no charitable institution in the country which was so nobly supported . Having given proofs

of this , bis lordship congratulated tbe brethren of the Lodge upon the celebrated and splendid meeting they had had there that day , and resumed his seat amid loud cheers . The next toast , the Very Worshipful Bro . F . A . Philbrick , Q . C , G . R . D . P . G . M . and the rest of the Grand Officers Present ancl Past was proposed by Past Master McGowan . He spoke in high terms of

Bro . Philbrick , deplored the absence of that gentleman , through illness , and , after making complimentary reference to Bros . Turner and Scarlett , went on to say that words failed him to express the deep debt of gratitude they owed to Bro . Lennox-Browne , in moro ways than one . He was the godfather of their Lodge , and it was not only an honour to have his distinguished name connected with it ,

but a great pleasure to have him present among them . Having spoken in complimentary terms of Bro . Shurmur , and the William Shurmur Lodge , the speaker highly eulogised Bro . Scoresby-Jaokson , and then submitted tbe toast , whioh was drunk with enthusiasm . Bros . Turner , Scarlett , Lennox-Browne , W . Shurmur , and Scoresby-Jackson each suitably replied . Bro . Brooke proposed tho Worshipful

Master , who , he said , took the deepest interest in the Lennox-Browne Lodge , understood the working , aud carried out that work better almost than any Mason he knew . The Worshipful Master having replied , tbe toast of the Ladies was eloquently proposed by Bro . Lennox-Browne , and acknowledged in clever speeches by Col . Lockwood and Bro . W . J . Jones . The other toasts were the

Visitors , the Masouic Charities ( submitted by the Chairman , and acknowledged by Bros . McLeod and Mason , both of whom made a powerful appeal on behalf of their respective Institutions ) , aud tbo Officers and Stewards . It should be mentioned that during the banquet the Woodford Orchestral Band , under the skilled leadership of Mr . A . V . Metcalf , of Woodford , played capital selections , and at

the conclusion of the feast the members played excellent dance music , the room having been cleared iu order to allow the ladies and brethren to exercise the art of Terpsichore " for one brief hour . " The whole of the musical arrangements were nnder the direction of Bro . Henry Prenton ( Organist to the'Lodge ) , whom every one was delighted to see partially recovered from his recent severe accident .

During the banquet a splendid programme of vocal mnsic was sus . tained , by Madame Eieohelmaun , Miss Dora Schneider , Madame Bay . mond , Mr . Henry Prenton and Mr . Parkin , all of whom sang in delightful style . Bro . Walter Latta accompanied throughout . The book of words , finely printed , and containing portraits of the Officers , was a pleasing souvenir of the occasion .

THE WILLIAM SHURMUR LODGE . No . 2374

A MEETING of this Lodge was held at tho Eoyal Forest Hotel , Chingford , on Tuesday , the 17 th inst ., when there were more than one hnndred brethren present . Among the Visitors were Bros . Glass P . P . G . S . W . Essex , Dr . Lindsay P . P . G . Chaplain , McLeod P . G . S . W ., Westfield P . P . G . S . B ., Matthews P . M . 1766 , Archdeacon Dunbar 2256 , Acworth W . M . 2265 , Smithers P . M . 193 , Stauffer P . M .

19 , Wilson 1228 , & c . The Right Worshipful the Provincial Grand Master the Lord Brooke hiving graciously granted a dispensation , twelve gentlemen were initiated into Freemasonry . The second degree was conferred upon twelve brethren , while five brethren were granted the privilege of inscribing themselves M . M . The

proceedings , which lasted nearly seven honrs , were carried out with the gratest possible accuracy and impressiveoess , reflecting the highest credit on every one concerned . The W . M . was nominated a candidate for the Board of General Purposes . Seventeen propositions

were received for initiation and joining . The L * xlge was then closed , and the brethren adjourned for refreshment ; the customary toasts were duly proposed and honoured . The amount of Masonio business transacted at this meeting was considered by many of the P . M . ' s present to be the largest on record .

westbourne Lodge of Instructioa , No . 733 . —A very pleasant meeting was held at the Swiss Cotttge Tavern , St . John ' s Wood , on Friday , the 6 tb instint , when the following were present : —Bros . Burton Worship f ul Master , Curtis Senior Warden , W . Roberts Junior Warden , E . W . Hngh » s I . G ., A . Reelands 8 . D ., A . Arrowsmith , J . Bench C Brown , C . Wiae P . M . 1158

Preceptor , C D ^ Kmy Sec . pro tem , W . Turner J . D ., J . McDougall 1413 . Visitors-J . Whitney 861 and J . Shapcott of the Mother Lodge . Lodgo was opened in due form and t ^ e minntns of last meeting wnro read and confirmed . The S . W . Bro . Curtis W . M . elect of the Mother Lodge was presented and obligated as W . M . Lodge was opened in the . third degree , and the OT-mnny of insta'lation was relieved ,

P . M . Wisa officiating as Installing Master . Bro . Barton then delivered the charges in a v » ry eff ; of . ivo manner . The Lo ' ge was resnroerl , and the W . M . appointed and invested his Officers . Tho next busineiu of tbe evening was to elect and appoint Auditors of the Lolga Funds , also a Treaswer and Sacrot'iry for the ensuing year . Bros . Brown and McDourdl VVITO unanimously elected

Auditors . Bro . Burton then rose to prop lse bVo . E . W . Hughes as Tr -asurur f . r the ensuing year . In making thin proposition Bro . Hnghes said it anve him vsry great plt-usure . Brn . ILighos , although not R . very old membt-r of thu Mother Lodge , had shown his zeal for the Craft by the manner in whi < . h he had worked in order to rouse

the Lodge of Instruction from its long rop-rte * the manner in which he had earned out his duties was more than enough to prove to the brethren that they would never ha *? e to rij-ret tha honour they would confer upon Bro . Hughes . This WM seconded by Bro . Wise , and upon the W . M . putting it to the Ljd ga it waa carried unanimously *