Reports Of Meetings.

REPORTS OF MEETINGS .

We shall be pleased to receive particulars of Masonic meetings for insertion in our columns , and where desired ¦ will endeavour to send a representative , to report Lodge or other proceedings .

GEAET : PEOVINCIAL

LLANGATTOCK LODGE , No . 2547 . THE annual summer outing of this Cardiff Lodge took place at Llanwern , the seat of Bro . D . A . Thomas , M . P ., on Tuesday , 12 th inst . The arrangements had been admirably carried out by a Committee , consisting of Bros . S . Jones W . M ., C . Jones Conductor of Sports , W . T . Morgan and B . Winfield Secretaries , and others .

The party left Cardiff about 9 . 30 . On arriving at Newport brakes awaited them , and they reached Llanwern something after eleven o'clock . A sumptuous luncheon had been provided , and was partaken of in a marquee on the lawn near the house . The W . M . proposed the usual Masonic toasts , which were suitably responded to .

The health of Bro . D . A . Thomas was proposed by Bro . T . Matthews , in bis usual felicitous style , and was most gracefully responded to by Mrs . Thomas , after which the party joined in various sports , and returned about five for tea , when the remainder of the toast list was disposed of , Bro . W . H . Allen giving that of " Our wives and sweethearts " in characteristic

manner . The duty of distributing the prizes to the competitors in the sports was assigned to Bro . C . Jones , who also submitted the health of the W . M ., which was received most enthusiastically by the company . Afterwards dancing was indulged in to the strains of Bro . Roberts's band .

Bro . Thomas arrived and , greeting the Brethren , expressed his regret at not having been able to join the party during the day . He most cordially invited a large number of tbe party into the house , and conducted them personally . A most hearty vote of thanks was then moved by Bro . Matthews , and seconded by Bro . W . H . Allen , to Bro . and Mrs . Thomas , for the cordiality of the reception given to the party .

The company arrived back at Cardiff about ten , having thoroughly enjoyed themselves from start to finish . The outing was most pleasurable .

MINNEHAHA MINSTREL LODGE , No . 2363 . THE fourth annual picnic of this Lodge took place on Monday , 4 th inst ., the place selected being Whalley Abbey and its picturesque neighbourhood . At 9 . 30 a . m . on the morning in question a goodly number of ladies and gentlemen , consisting of members of the Lodge and their friends , assembled at the Victoria Station , Manchester , where saloon carriages had

been provided to convey them to their destination . Upon arrival at Whalley a short walk brought the party to the Assembly Rooms , where ample arrangements had been made should the weather have proved inauspicious . The principal objects of interest are the venerable Abbey and Church , both of them dear to such popular Lancashire writers as John Roby , W . Harrison Ainsworth , and Edwin Waugh .

From Whalley sprang the late Manchester banker and worthy , Mr . Samuel Brooks , who adopted the name of Whalley Range for a well-known fashionable suburb of Cottonopolis . Whalley Abbey was founded A . D . 1296 , or shortly afterwards , by a body

of that celebrated branch of the Benedictines , denominated the " Cisteroians , " and also known as the " White Monks , " the latter name having reference to certain peculiarities in their dress ; the former was taken from Cistertium , the Latinised name of Cisteaux , in Burgundy , where the order had been instituted about two centuries previously .

At the time of the dissolution of the monastries by Henry VIII . the Cistercians numbered in different parts of the kingdom no less than eightyfive establishments . As we wandered through the venerable ruins of the Abbey we were reminded of the monks , that set of religieux who , with stomachs capon-lined , and features rubicund and jolly , were the bons vivants of the Christianity taught in those days , and were inclined to say with Longfellow : — " Vanished is the ancient splendour , and before my dreamy eye

, Wave those mingling shapes and figures like a faded tapestry , " its now frowning and mouldering walls , and its rugged defiant grandeur inducing a sad reflection upon the days of its imperious plentitude . The ruins in their eclipse are fine , what then must the building have been in the days even of its incipient ruin , just after the Reformation ? We were amply repaid by a visit to the old church , whose foundation " dates as far back as the sixth centurv . when PaulimiK thu minsinrmr-u- nf t . lio

north , who preached in Lancashire and Yorkshire , stirred up the religious zeal of the people , and caused so many churches to be built . " There are so many matters of interest which could be described as connected with this edifice that space will not accord us the opportunity ; we will , therefore , having paid willing homage to all around which had been consecrated by the genius of early days , allow our pen to be diverted from its antiquities as regretfully as our feet retraced their steps from the hallowed building , which even in a glorious mid-day sunshine stood

Sublime and sad Bearing the weight of years . After an excellent luncheon at the Assembly Rooms the party took seats in waggonettes which had been provided , and a long drive was commenced , through some of the most lovely scenery to be found in Lancashire .

Bro . Sam Luke J . W . Secretary and Treasurer , who seems to be a veritable Columbus of picnic , aided by Bros . Fred Hilton I . P . M . P . P . G . D . C , and Seth Wrigley P . M . P . P . G . D . D . C ., had evidently found Ariadne ' s thread to guide them into the very remote places which they had selected for us to visit . The route lay over the river Hodder , through Milton , and on to the

neighbourhood of Stonyhurst College , a locality made notorious by a great portion of the cross examination by Sir John Coleridge ( Solicitor-General ) who was counsel for tho defendants in the first and civil action of the great Tichborne trial . According to Mr . Serjeant Ballantine , who had at the onset been retained on behalf of Arthur Orton , but who afterwards threw up

Reports Of Meetings.

his brief , " Through its rooms and gardens ( Stonyhurst ) the unhappy claimant was invited to travel . It was here the learning was supposed to have been imparted of which he was challenged to give some proof , and it was over the whole of this period that if he were the genuine Baronet Sir Roger , his unfortunate failure of memory extended . " We could see Clitheroe Castle frowning upon the summit of a

precipitous limestone crag , while in the distance was Pendle Hill , immortalised in the " Lancashire Witches . " The castle , built by William Rufus , is now in the possession of the Duke of Buccleuch , and is an object of very great interest to excursionists . At Waddington we rested for a short period , paying a welcome visit to the Higher Buck Hotel . In close contiguity are the almshouses , said by one of the party to have the richest endowment in this country .

As we proceeded onwards , the valleys seemed to radiate from the gigantic Pendle Hill and wind themselves along with a refreshing variety of luxuriant foliage and endless verdure , while the sun's heat was mitigated and tempered by a refreshing breeze , upon which the hay flaunted its delicious sweetness , and which wafted a light cloudy awning over all . The outward journey was completed at Sawley Abbey , another of the Cistercian establishments , and , like Whalley , in ruins . That favourite nepenthe of the ladies—a cup of good tea—had been provided here , and was partaken of , surrounded as we were by more faded glories of ancient times .

Proceeding onwards through Chatburn we were driven smartly to Whalley , where the meal of the day had been provided , in the shape of a substantial dinner . The caterer for both meals was Bro . W . J . Whittaker , Proprietor of the Whalley Arms Hotel ( Bank Terrace Lodge , No . 462 , Accrington ) . Bro . Fred Hilton presided , and introduced the usual Loyal and Masonic toasts , which were fittingly responded to . He also introduced that of the Ladies , saying that in proposing this toast he was afraid he might not acquit

himself satisfactorily . He added that he was extremely glad to see them , and offered them a hearty welcome . The picnics in the summer , and the socials in the winter , gave their lady friends a little insight into the doings of Freemasonry , but still they did not learn all that it was possible to know about it . They had been favoured with exceedingly fine weather , and he jocularly attributed this fact to the presence of the ladies . He called upon the brethren to toast their fair friends as enthusiastically as possible . Bro . Geo . R . Ward responded in suitable terms .

Bro . Wrigley proposed the . health of the Visitors . He gave them a hearty welcome , hoped they would go away with pleasant feelings of the day , and lend their presence upon future occasions . He did not flatter the members of the Minnehaha Minstrel Lodge when he said they were a genial lot , who tried to the best of their ability to make everybody comfortable and happy . Bro . J . Nowell Withers , of St . Anns , Worshipful Master of the Abbey Lodge , No . 2529 , Whalley , responded , saying that when he was invited by Bro . Fred Hilton , the acting W . M ., to join their picnic , he had readily

assented , and he also pledged the presence of his wife , for he was delighted to learn that his Masonic friends were about to visit Whalley , where he had spent many happy years of his life . He could assure them that he had enjoyed the drive , and had met with that kindly reception which he invariably got among Masons . As Worshipful Master of the Abbey Lodge he would convey to the Brethren the fact of how well he had been treated . He thanked them heartily and sincerely on his own behalf , and on behalf of his wife , and gave them a very cordial invitation to visit the Lodge there at an early date . Mr . Gleave , another visitor , also responded .

Bro . Wrigley , in proposing the health of the acting W . M ., spoke favourably of his work while in the principal ohair . Bro . Hilton was in the first rank of those ever ready to help on any occasion , and the members of the Minnehaha Minstrel Lodge felt deeply grateful to him for his varied help . This toast on his part was not mere courtesy , but offered to Bro . Hilton because he deserved it . Before closing his remarks he referred to the absence of Bro . Smith Worshipful Master , whose precarious state of health prevented him from being present . He sympathised with him , and hoped he would be speedily restored .

Bro . Hilton , in responding , said he was afraid his auditors were beginning to tire of bim , and his wife , who sat near him , said that so much flattery was not good lor him . He believed tbe toast was not only meant lor himself , but also for the absent W . M ., and he would make it his special business to convey to Bro . Smith the sentiments which indicated the feelings of the Brethren towards him . He asked them to drink his health , which was done enthusiastically .

Upon the invitation of Bro . Withers several Brethren visited the Lodge Room , which was close by , and many of them expressed their admiration of the quaintly designed Masonic furniture . It appears that it was the work of a youth named Langshaw , aged 19 , a resident of Whalley , whose father carries on the trade of joiner in the village . The return journey to Manchester was made at 8 p . m ., the usual enjoyments , which included singing and recitations , being indulged in before the train arrived at the terminus .

Beside those already mentioned there were present Bros . Thomas Hamnett S . W ., Joseph Hilton Treas ., S . H . Stubbs S . D ., F . Todd J . D ., J . C . Wood P . M ., J . Brooke , Harry Bowes , C . Duckworth , Owen , Edward Roberts P . M . 1459 ( FBEEMASON ' CHEONICLE ) , Messrs . T . and H . Wilson , H . B . Hindley , H . Sharratt , Marsden , and many others , the major portion of members and visitors being accompanied by lady friends .

LIVERPOOL LODGE , No . 1547 . THE annual meeting was held on Wednesday , 13 th inst ., at the Masonic Hall , Hope Street , Liverpool , when Bro . George Haynes was installed as Worshipful Master for the ensuing year . The installation ceremony was very impressively performed by the retiring W . M . Bro . George Barrett , with a marked ability which elicited tbe highest praise from all the Brethren present . Bro . John Duncan P . M . P . P . G . D . C , who for many years past has assisted in the installation ceremony , again iu a very able and masterly manner took part on this

occasion . At the conclusion of the business the Brethren adjourned to the dining hall , where a banquet was provided and excellently served under the supervision of Bro . Casey . During the evening Bro . George Barrett I . P . M . was presented with a

valuable Past Master ' s jewel , as a mark of esteem aud admiration from the members of the Lodge , by Bro . G . Haynes W . M ., who expressed the warm esteem and admiration felt by the whole of the Brethren towards him , and the high appreciation of the zeal and ability with which he had presided over the Lodge during bis year of office . Bro . Barrett , in a few appropriate words , cordially thanked the Brethren for their very kind expression of good wishes .