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was performing a very responsible duty ; his heart was beating fast , and he felt the tears come to his eyes more than once during t > ' 0 installation . He thanked them all for their kind Appreciation . Bros . Finch Hatton W . M . 1361 , and R . Newton Crane acknowledged the toast of the Visitors ; Bros . Maitland Coffin and Sir Joseph Dimsdale responded for the Past Masters ; and Bros . Breese and Coleman replied for the Officers of the Lodge .

During the evening a very pleasant programme of music was provided by Bro . James Kift , the artistes being Madame Eugenia Morgan , Miss Lallie Hodder , Mr . Kelson Trueman , and Mr . Epsteyne . D'Amato's Neapolitan Singers gave some lively Italian pieces , and Bro . Walter Churcher delivered some of his amusing recitations .

—; o : — HOLME VALLEY LODGE , No . 652 . THE ordinary monthly meeting of this Lodge took place at the Drill Hall , Holmforth , on the 15 th inst ., when the following members of the Lodge were present : Bros . G . H . Ingham W . M ., T . S . Brierley S . W ., J . Barrowclough

J . W ., W . Walker Chaplain , H . Lomax Secretary , R . Bower S . D ., T . M . Haigh J . D ., J . Greenwood D . C , H . T . Hardy I . G ., Tom Lawton Steward , Jesse Shaw Tyler , J . Hensten , P . W . Mellor , J . Lancaster , S . A . Greenwood , Thos , Brook , J . E . Heap , H B . Sykes , Jas . Bearsdell , J . F . Lee , J . W . B . Shaw , A . C H . Tinker . W . Svkes . J . E . Fisher . A . P . Mellor . J . L . Holdrovd , Alf .

Battye , Shaw Haigh , G . Holdroyd , Josh . Tyass , Jonas Wagstaff , J . W . Brierley , and others . Among the Visitors were Bros . Dr . Chas . F . Forshaw , LL . D ., 295 603 , & c . ( FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE ) , F . Withers 600 , H . SanderB 1783 , J . Sanders 1783 , W . Carter 2055 , E . Carter 2055 , George Hadfield 625 , P . R . Hampshire 149 , G . S . Butley 1783 , J . E . Cockroft 1462 , H . Shaw 2261 , J .

Blackburn 306 , W . Rayner 290 , J . T . Last 2321 , C . F . Arnold 521 , M . Riley 1514 , G . M . Marohant 1783 , Joe Sykes 1514 , A . Dunn 1514 , J . L . Sykes 521 , T . Benn 521 , A . Billington 1462 , G . North 1514 , Geo . Hirst 1514 . W . F . Munroe 1514 , W . H . Brieriey 290 , J . D . Prior 1645 , J . F . Cooke 1645 , J . A . H . Ealand 1645 , G . H . Beaumont 2261 , A . C . Kaye 149 , T . D . Ruddock 275 , E . Brook 1645 .

The Lodge being opened in the first , second , and third degrees respectively , all Brethren below the rank of Installed Master retired , the while the Senior Warden Bro . T . S . Brierley was installed Master of the Lodge for the ensuing year . On their re-entering the Lodge , the newly elected Worshipful Master invested his Officers , as follow : —Joshua Barrowclough S . W ., Shaw Haigh

J . W ., Richard Bower Chaplain , J . R . Mellor P . M . P . P . A . G . D . C . Treasurer , Tom Heeley Secretary , T . M . Haigh S . D ., James Beardsell J . D ., Willie Walker I . G ., R . T . Hardy D . C , Alfred Battye Assist . D . C , Albert Tinker Organist , J . G . Barrowclough Assist . Org ., Thomas Hinchliffe Registrar , Tom Lawton , Harry Holdroyd , J . T . Lee , John E . Heap , Herbert B . Sykes , John W . B . Shaw , Herbert Newbould Stewards , Jesse Shore Tyler .

The Lodge was duly closed and the Brethren withdrew to the Victoria Hotel , where an excellent repast had been provided . The toast list was dealt with in due course , Bro . Brierley W . M . being responsible for the Queen and H . R . H . the Princess of Wales and the rest of the Royal Family . Bro . Immediato Past Master England gave H . R . H . the Prince of Wales M . W . Grand Master of England and the Officers of Grand Lodge present

and past . Bro . J . C Barrowclough proposed the Prov . G . Master of West Yorkshire Bro . W . L . Jackson , M . P ., the Deputy Prov . G . Master Bro . R . Wilson P . G . D ., and the rest of the Provincial Officers . The- next toast , the Masonic Charities , was entrusted to Bro . J . R . Mellor P . M . P . P . A . G . D . C , and in a most eloquent speech he pleaded the cause of the different Funds .

Then came the toast of the evening , the Worshipful Master of the Holme Valley Lodge Brother T . S . Brierley . This was given in a most spirited and masterly manner by Bro . Joshua Barrowclough , and the heartiness with which it was received proved that the election of Bro . Brierley was a most popular one . It may here be appropriately mentioned that Bro . Brierley was initiated into Freemasonry in March 1893 , and has occupied the following Offices : Captain of the Stewards Dec . 1893 , J . D . Dec . 1894 , S . D . Dec . 1895 , Sec . Dec . 1896 , J . W . Dec . 1897 , S . W . Dec . 1898 .

In rising to respond to the toast , which was drunk with full Masonic honours , Bro . Brierley had considerable difficulty in commencing his reply , so loud and prolonged were the bursts of applause with which he was received . When eventually he obtained a hearing it was seen he was visibly affected . He said he considered it the highest possible honour a man could receive to be elected Master of his Lodgo . They might rest assured , he proceeded , that the confidence they had reposed in him would not be misplaced . He was but

mortal , but it should be his constant aim aud endeavour to ably fulfill and discharge his duties and responsibilities , as Master of 652 , with honour to their choice and credit to himself . He had , as many of them were aware , an excellent still of Officers , and with their co-operation and the assistance of the Past Masters and members ol Holme Valley Lodge he trusted to leave the chair of K . S . in the same unsullied state in which it had been handed down by the whole of his predecessors . Bro . Brierley resumed his seat , while the Brethren sang " For he ' s a jolly good Fellow . "

Bro . J . A . Heastie then proposed the Visitors , but as these , as will be seen by a glance at the names above , were very numerous , we cannot find room to single out individual replies . Other toasts were the Installing Officers , the Officers of the Holme Valley Lodge , the Past Masters , and the Tyler's toast . Most of the toasts were interspersed by songs and recitations .

The proceedings were prolonged to an exceptionally late hour , and we have it on the authority of our Yorkshire representative that although , the " wee sma hours" were a thing of the past before the gathering finally dispersed , all the Brethren arrived safely home , feeling none the worse for the unbounded hospitality shown them , and knowing that the " fourth degree " had for them had several hours of almost unprecedented enjoyment .

LODGE OF TRUTH , No . 1458 . THE annual meeting and festival of St . John in connection with this Lodge took place at the Mitre Hotel , Cathedral Gates , Manchester , on Saturday , 2 nd instant , Brother A . B . Taylor Worshipful Master . The principal business was that of installing Bro . Leopold Hirsch S . W .

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Reports Of Meetings.

into the chair of K . S . Bro . Buckley Carr P . M . P . P . G . D . C . performed the ceremony , assisted by Past Masters Alfred Hebden P . P . D . G . D . C , & c , and Geo . T . Lenard , a trio of able and experienced workers in the Craft . A list of the new Officers is appended : —Bros . H . Hellewell S . W ., Joseph Day J . W ., J . Pearce Treasurer , G . P . Tavlor P . M . Secretary , W . Dewhurst S . D ., R . Stevenson J . D ., A . Hebden P . M ., & c , D . C , W . S . Mutteen , W . G . Birch , and H . Flint Stewards , W . J . Herring P . M . Char . Rep .

The usual charity roUection having been made , the W . M . proposed that the amount be devoted to tho War Fund , and this was adopted . An excellent banquet was afterwards served by tbe host , Bro . H . Powoll Jones , to which about forty sat down , including the following Provincial Officers , viz .: Brothers H . Gordon Small , William Bee , and Edwd . Roberts . Other visitors were Bros . J . R . Tollis P . M . 1185 , H . Jones W . M . 1011 , L . H . Keay W . M . 1219 , J . Jackson S . W . 934 , W . T . Cairus 1140 , L . Kaufman 1798 , F . Humphries 852 , & c .

Songs and sketches were given by Bros . Alexr . Marr ( loyal ) , J . Doyle ( patriotic , & c ) , T . P . Cooper P . M . ( topical ) , Edwd . Roberts P . M . ( Welsh parody , & c ) , and L . Kaufman ( Hebrew ) . The W . M . proposed the toast of the Provincial Grand Officers , to which Bros . Bee and Small responded . Speaking of the recent meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge , held in

Manchester , Bro . Bee strongly deprecated the way in which the ceremonial had been performed , which elicited a retort from Bro . Small that the function was a grand one , and in his experience had never been equalled , nor the standard of work so excellently well done as on the occasion mentioned , when the Provincial Grand Master of East Lancashire ( Lord Stanley ) , was installed into tho position by his cousin the Earl of Lathom Prov . Grand Master of the Western Division of Lancashire .

Bro . Carr proposed the health of the Worshipful Master , saying the latter had the prior support of his Brethren , who were proud that he had attained the position of Master . He was essentially a child of the Lodge , having been initiated in it , and he had every confidence that he would exert all his talents and influence on its behalf . He only hoped Bro . Hirsch , than whom there was not a more zealous and enthusiastic Mason in the Lodge , would have health and strength to successfully carry him through his year of office .

Bro . Hirsch . W . M . responded , saying this was bis birthday in Masonry , for he had been exactly eight years in travelling from the West to the East . On his journey he had gained refinement , for whenever he had an hour to Bpare it was devoted to Craft study , and he had never regretted it . He felt full of pride and gratitude for tho position which they had conferred upon

him that day , and he would prove his gratitude by being a good Master . When he vacated the chair of K . S . he hoped to leave the position as pure as it had been transmitted to him . He would try to do his best for Freemasonry and the Lodge of Truth , and , if spared by the G . A . O . T . U ., would try to rise to a higher eminence .

Bro . Hirsch subsequently introduced the toi \ st of the I . P . M ., coupling with it other Past Masters of the Lodse whoso names he mentioned , and finished his remarks by presenting to Bro . Taylor a handsome jewel , upon which was inscribed these words : —

Presented to W . BBO . A . B . T AYLOR , by the Brethren of the Lodge , as a mark cf esteem for his services as W . M . during 1898-9 . 2 nd December 1899 .

Bro . Taylor I . P . M . responded in suitable terms , being followed by remarks from Past Masters Thos . Hy . Hall , and W . J . Herring . Bro . Hebden proposed the health of the visitors , several of whom responded . Other toasts followed .

THE MANCHESTER LODGE , No . 2554 . THE regular meeting was held at the Freemasons' Hall , Cooper Street , Manchester , on Friday , 8 th inst ., Bro . Arthur 0 . K . Smith Worshipful Master . After the reading and confirmation of minutes , Bros . Walter Gibbons , Max Fritz Wilhelm Karge , and Arthur James Hoyland , who had duly shown their proficiency , were passed to the degree of F . C by the W . M ., assisted by Bro . A . B . Smith S . W ., the latter presenting and explaining the working tools to the candidates .

A successful ballot was afterwards taken for Mr . Charles Neufeld , aged 46 , of 11 Henrietta Street , Covent Garden , London , W . C , described as a merchant in the Soudan , and around this ceremony a great amount of interest naturally centred , the candidate being that historical personage known as the " Prisoner of the Khalifa . " Bro . W . B . Akerman P . M .

P . P . G . A . D . C . Director of Ceremonies , who was responsible for this important advent into Freemasonry , himself performed the ceremony of initiation , the working tools being presented to Bro . Neufeld by Bro . W . E . Davies J . W . We may add that the work throughout was so ably performed as ton-eceive the universal commendation of visitors .

At the festive board which followed , Loyal and Masonic toasts were agreeably relieved by songs , sketches , & c , the contributaries being Bros . Robert Thomson P . M . 44 , J . Stanley Derbyshire S . W . 1565 , and T . O . Broad 204 , who displayed their vocal powers to advantage ; W . D . Booth Org . 104 , who officiated at the pianoforte ; Edward Roberts P . M . 1459 P . G . Tlr ., who , by special requet , gave a characteristic incident in the life of a German , and others .

Bro . Akerman proposed the health of the newly-initiated Brother , expressing in no measured terms his great delight that Bro . Neufeld had elected to become a Freemason in what he might call the home of his wife , for she was a Manchester lady . He briefly alluded to the martyrdom suffered by Bro . Neufeld , who , while a prisoner , chained for twelve years by

order of that terrible and inhuman tyrant his captor , was made the cruel sport of Mahdism ; and concluded a very interesting speech by saying that whatever religion a man might profess , whether he be Jew , Mahomedan , or Christian , he could never forget the religion of Freemasonry , which was that of charity .

Bro . Neufeld , in reply , said he was a German , and the language which he had learned , and had not only learned but loved , wa 3 the German language . He also loved the English nation , having been taught this very natural duty by his wife , who was an Englishwoman . A long wish of his had that day been fulfilled , and he had become a Freemason in the town to

which Mrs . Neufeld belonged . Tho speaker related how his desire to join the Craft had been revived and accentuated by the heroic devotion of a man who , under circumstances of extreme danger , had many times risked his life on his behalf , being under the impression that be ( Bro . Neufeld ) was at that time a Freemason . Personally he considered it a great honour to bel ong to