Selwyn Lodge, No. 1901.

SELWYN LODGE , No . 1901 .

THE annual meeting of the above Lodge was held at the New Masonio Hall , East Dulwich Hotel , East Dulwich Green , near Champion Hill Station , on Thursday , the 19 th instant . After the Lodge had been formally opened , the minutes of the regular meeting held on Thursday , 15 th March , and the emergency meeting , held Wednesday , 4 th April , wero read and confirmed . The report of the Audit Committee was received and adopted . Three Master Masons

with the Treasnrer and Secretary of the Lodge were appointed a Committee to manage the Benevolent Fund . Brother George Frederic Barton , La Tolerance Lodge , No . 538 , was proposed ns a candidate for joining by Bro . Bell Is S . W ., and seconded by Brother E . Eagle . Bro . Bellis did a similar honour in favonr of Rro . William Edward Constable ( F . C ) , Southwark Lodge , No . 379 ; in this case

Brother Marcus J . D . seconded the proposition . Both were accepted There were two candidates for initiation—Mr . Joseph Searby , who was proposed by Bro . Bellis S . W ., and seconded by Bro . Marcns J . D ., and Mr . Isaac Dadd , who had for bis sponsors Bros . Phillips and Davies . Here again the ballot wns unanimons , and both gentlemen were introduced and initiated . The W . M . elect , Bro . A . J . Bellis .

was now presented , and Bro . Nicod proceeded to instal him into the ohair of the Lodge . This onr zealons brother did in a most satisfactory way ; indeed , the whole work of the year has been con . dncted by him in a perfect and painstaking way . We may state here Bro . Nicod ' a duties have not been of a mere perfunctory character ; be has initiated seven candidates , passed five , and raised five ; when

to this is added that he undertook the dnties of Installing Master , and , as we have said , ably fulfilled them , we think he deserves the praise that was lavishly bestowed on him . The Officers for the ensuing year were appointed and invested as follow ; — Bros . L . C N . Nicod Immediate Past Master , W . R . Bnmett S . W ., A . R . W . Powles J . W ., E . Eagle Treasurer , W . H . Hook P . M . Secre .

tary , W . B . Marcus S . D ., W . J . Bnllimore J . D ., R . E . Anderson I . G ., R . P . Forge P . M . M . C , W . Bosher W . S ., L . E . Eagle , Assist . W . S . The addresses were then delivered , and after routine work , hearty good wishes were tendered , and Lodge was closed . Tn addition to nearly the whole of the members , the following Visi'ors were present : —E . 0 . Malet de Cartaret P . G . M . Jersey , Charles Navlor

P . M . 958 P . D . C Jersey , R . E . H . Goffin J . W . 1573 . Thomas Wallis 1901 , James Watsey P . M . 1310 , John Osborn P . M . 1602 , E . Woodman J . W . 1950 , T . Perrin W . M . 1297 , John Rhodes 1524 , R . Pierpoint J . W . 177 , W . J . Garland 1728 , R , W . Moss 548 , C Clifton S . W . 944 P . D . G . Org . Bombay , D . Keyse S . D . 1314 , J . J . Taffs W . M . 186 , W . S . Whitaker P . M . 1572 , J . Mount Sperring W . S . 186 , J . G . Caston 40 , J . Tickle P . M . 1196 Past Provincial Grand Registrar

Middlesex , John Page 1572 , E . 0 . Massey P . M . 1296 . R . Applegarth 1415 , Reginald Bridger 72 , W . W . Morgan Senior Warden 211 , & c . The banqnet was most liberally supplied by Bro . Gnrney , and the viands and wines were of excellent qnalifcy . Tbe speeches were brief and to the point . The I . P . M . ' s services were dilated on , and an elegant jewel was presented to' him , which bore the following inscription : —

" Presented to BROTHER S . C N . NTCOD P . M . by fche brethren of fche SELWYN LODGE , NO . 1901 , 19 fch April 1883 , as a mark of esteem , and in recognition of the able and courteous manner in which he discharged the duties of W . M . dnring his year of

office—1882-83 . " Bro . Bellis must be congratulated on entering upon his dnties as Master under such favourable circumstances . A word for our esteemed Bro . Hook ; he exerted himself mosfc successfully fco make this meeting go off happily , and his "Masonic Surprise " " was indeed a happy thought . Long may he live to see the Lodge he has

taken so much interest in flourish and extend its influence . A capital musical entertainment was provided , nnder the direction of Bro . A . F . Grainger Organist . We append the programme . Song and Chorus , " God save the Queen ; " Solo and Chorus , " God bless the Prince of Wales ; " Song , "Tell her I love her so , " Bro . C A .

White ; Song , " Good Night Beloved , " Bro . Wallis ; Solo ( clarionefcte ) , "Luisa di Montfort , " Bro . L . E . Eagle ; Song , " The Gipsies' Life , " Bro . Hook ; Song , " Sailing , " Bro . A . F . Grainger ; Song , " The old and young Marie , " Bro . 0 . A . White ; Duett , " The Moon has raised her Lamp , " Bros . Wallis and Hook ; Solo ( pianoforte ) " Gavotte , " Bro . A . F . Grainger ; Song , " Good-bye Sweetheart , " Bro . C A . White .

THE meeting of the Press Lodge , last Saturday , was one of the most successful fche Lodge has bad since its commencement . The W . M . Bro . H . F . Bussey , performed his work in admirable style , and he was most ably supported by bis Officers . Mr . Joseph Capp r . nd Mr . Frederick Saunders were initiated , and Bros . Brine , Baines , and Seabrook were elected on the Benevolent Fund Committee . A

Founder ' s and Pasfc Secretary's jewel was presented to the late Secretary , Bro . Basil Cooke , aud the Lodge resolved to join with the West Kent and Orpheus Lodges in erecting a headstone at the grave of Past Master John Allen , in Nunhead Cemetery . Bros . Macartney , M . P ., and Hyde Clarke were among the visitors to the Lodge , and expressed their pleasure with the way in which the working

was done . Bro . Hyde Clarke , in addressing the brethren in response to the toasfc of the Grand Officers , affcer snpper , contrasted the style of the Gallery Lodge with that of others , and predicted for it a glorious future . The Benevolent Fund he lookec * npon as a great fc . n ' -nre ; it would enable the brethren to do an immense amount of real good .

We have received from Bro . T . Francis , of Havant , a r * opy of his recently publisher ! History of Freemasonry in ! jhe Province of Sussex . Bro . Francis seems to have bestowed much care upon the production of his "work , which we will take an early opportunity of perusing .

Masonic Halls.

MASONIC HALLS .

jyTEXT to ability in the Officers to render tho Ritual with force , i- ^ l beauty and propriety , nothing is so important to the dignity and prosperity of Freemasonry as a Hall , handsomely fitted up with proper appointments to give adequate expression to the beautiful degrees of the system . If we go into a town , and find an elegant Masonic hall , with handsome equipments , fnrniture and apparatus , wo do not need to ask what kind of Masons meet thero ; the fact speaks

for itself . But if we find a miserable hall , with bare floors , dilapidated furniture , dirty walls and windows , we do nofc need to ask anything here about Masonry ; we know it is in the last stages of dissolution , if ifc ever had any healthy « xistence at any time . We wero once in an Ohio town of say 1000 inhabitants , and , as we usually do , we asked some of the brethren to show us their hall . We noticed some evident

reluctance and trouble to find the key ; but at length the key was found , and as we ascended the dirty staircase , the brother conducting us began to apologise for tho condition of the hall . When we were ushered into it , we found a large room , with bare floor , white-washed walls defiled by tobacco juice that had been squirted against them , and had run down in rivulets upon them . The stations , east , west

and south , were unpainted boxes , the chairs aronnd the walls were rush-bottomed chairs in every stage of degeneracy ! We beat a hasty retreat , and thought to ourself , as we descended the staircase , thafc if we had lived in that town when a profane , the Masonic Institution would have been the very last Institution we should have wanted fco unite with .

And so , feeling the importance of the subject , as Masonio halls are being continually built and renovated , we purpose to give a few words as to the proper construction and equipment of a suitable Masonio hall . If you are about fco build , or refit your ball , by all means give heed to some recommendations like the following : 1 . Give yourselves plenty of room . Do not get into a little eight ;

by ten affair , where yonr enthusiasm will all be burnt out by bad air and asphyxia . Be sure and give yourselves room to breathe and to work . It is true that a few brethren in a business meeting look almost lost in a large room , and it is very well , if yoa can , to have a smaller room also , where you can occasionally meet , but most Lodges can only afford one main room , and ifc is much better to have the

brethren in a small meeting look like a mouse nnder an umbrella , if thereby you have room to render your work well , than fco have a small room where yon will be smothered and have no floor space for a suitable rendering of the Ritual . 2 . If possible have a stage with shifting side and back scenes in yonr East . All of our best Masonic halls are now being constructed

with these stages and scenery , the idea being borrowed , we think , mainly from the Scottish Rite Cathedral in Cincinnati . Since that Cathedral was constructed , some fifteen or twenty years ago , Chicago , Indianopolis , Columbus , Dayton , and other places have followed suit , and the fashion ought to be general . Those who want to see to how many uses a stage with scenic accompaniments can be

pnfc should go to the Scottish Rite apartments at Chicago , where with not half the amount of room thafc we have afc Cincinnati the very dramatic Ritual of the Scottish Rite is elaborately and handsomely rendered , very largely by the use of the stage alone . Almost everything in Masonic work in the degrees of the York and the Scottish Rite ( which together constitute everything thafc is legitimate in

Freemasonry ) can be exhibited and worked oufc in a single room , if necessary , fitted np with a stage and proper accompaniments ; and ns Masonic work is so largely dramatic in its character , a stage is almost a necessity in properly exhibiting it , 3 . In fitting np a Masonic hall there should be a gallery or passage way around part of it , and if possible a large part of it . Every

Mason knows that Masonic work requires travelling , " and passage ways aronnd the Lodge-room are very desirable , if nofc absolutely necessary . We will undertake to render every degree in fche York and Scottish systems by the aid of these three things we have mentioned : a large , well-furnished hall , a stage with scenic accompaniments , and a wide gallery or passage way aronnd a good part of the

Lodge-room . 4 . Of course , there must be at least two ante-rooms : a preparation room and a visitors' waiting-room . These are absolutely necessary to all Masonic work ; and no Lodge should have a charter unless provided with these ; other rooms are useful as property rooms , bufc two ante-rooms must always be connected with every Lodge-room .

5 . The lighting apparatus is also quite important in fitting np a Masonic hall . The best arrangement is to have a central reflecting light , big eoough to light up the whole room , with a ventilating arrangement in connection with it . If yon have gas in your town , of course yon will use it in your Lodge , and by a " cut-off" you can easily regulate the amount of light to suit the dramatic demands of

the work you are engaged in , giving " more light" or "leas light " just as yon please . If you have no gas , ifc will nofc be so easy to regulate the light , but by fche aid of curtains , movable by a Master of Ceremonies , yon can produce tolerably good effects , and , talking about lights , a Lodge that can afford a stereopticon will find it a

valuable auxiliary both in rendering the Ritual , and in entertaining the members and their families wheu gathered socially . 6 . We need add nothing as to dresses , regalia , furniture , and other properties . Tbo more beautiful and extensive these can be furnished , the moro impressive will the Ritual be . But theso things must be regulated by tbe funds of the Lodge . —Masonic Review .

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The "Revised Book of ICon & titutions ; " Critically Considered , and Compared with , the Old Edition . London : Simpkin , Marshall & Co ., 4 Stationers' Hall Court , E . G . Sent on receipt of stamps , One Shilling , by W . "W . Morgan , "Freemason ' s Chronicle Office , Belvidere Works , Hermes Hill , Pentonville , "London , W . —( ADVI ) .