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addresses were given to Master , Wardens ancl Brethren , after which the W . M . rose , and presented to Bro . Nicholls a handsome Past Master ' s jewel . In the course of his remarks Bro . Catling referred to Bro . Nicholls ' s serious illness more thau a yearago , when the Brethren had been afraid it would have interfered with the performance of that Brother ' s duties in the chair . They were happy to find he had completely recovered from his dangerous malady ,

and diligently executed the duties of his office . Bro . Harry Nicholls , in acknowledging the gift , said it would always remind him of a very pleasant year of office , in which he had been ably supported by all the members of the Lodge . He should ever value it as a reminder of that happy period . There was one other point about it : it was the only Masonic jewel he wore that he had not paid for himself .

A vote of condolence was passed with the widow of the late Bro . Henry Pettitt , one of the twelve founders of the Lodge , and a vote of congratulation to Bro . Sir Augustus Harris on his recovery from a long and serious illness was unanimously carried , and a telegram to that effect was sent to him at Hastings , from which place a message was received , apologising for not being able to attend , and

wishing the Lodge every success and enjoyment . A vote of thanks was likewise passed to the Honorary Members , who had presented a handsome banner to the Lodge . The remaining work was of a routine nature , and at its conclusion Lodge was closed , the Brethren adjourning to the Freemasons' Tavern for banquet , after which the customary toast list was gone through .

Proposing the health of the Grand Officers the W . M . spoke of the assistance the Lodge had received from Grand Officers in years gone by , and expressed the gratitude of the members for what they had done . The services , freely and generously rendered on many occasions , had been highly appreciated by the Lodge . The Prov . Grand Master of Somerset ( Viscount Dungarvan ) acknowledged the compliment .

The next toast was that of the Past Masters of the Lodge , submitted from the chair . Bro . Catling said he was going to give the name of a Brother who had done his work not only during the past year but so ably that day . Those who knew him most intimately loved him and esteemed him the best : he was all round—as a

Mason perhaps he ought to say " on the square "—a really good fellow . He would say much more if he were not present ; he had done so pretty often in print ; never before had he had the opportunity of proposing his health , and he did so with sincere pleasure because he personally felt he was greatly indebted to Bro . Nicholls , and that he should be more indebted to him . Bro . Nicholls was

undoubtedly too a very zealous Officer ; he was the first initiate to work up to the chair ; and he had shown great spirit in doing so ; and he had done everything in the sincerest and truest spirit of Masonzy . With regard to himself Bro . Nicholls had shown the most kindly feeling ; it gave him confidence that was necessary , and he must confess that he needed much' of that feeling , coming as he did after three " well graced actors , " Bro . Fernandez , Bro . Bancroft

and Bro . Harry Nicholls . They had had apologies from several of their Past Masters : Sir John Gorst expressed his desire to be present , and it was only by the trouble of Her Majesty ' s Government that he was not there . Sir Henry Isaacs was a P . M ., and he showed his interest in the Lodge by giving the brethren a noble entertainment at the Mansion House . Bro . Nicholls was the great worker of the day , and the brethren would forgive him if he called on him to respond to the toast .

Bro . Harry Nicholls desired first to thank the W . M . and the brethren in the name of those worthy and distinguished brethren who were on his left hand that year only , as next year he would be at the other end of tho table . The W . M . had referred to his work that day , and also to the work he had performed during his year of office .. He wanted to tell the brethren that it was owing to one Past

Master present that day that he had been able to enter into that work with that enthusiasm whioh had met with the brethren ' s approbation—he referred to Bro . Parkinson . Bro . Parkinson initiated him into Freemasonry , and it was through hisimpressiveness and the magnificent manner in which he performed the duties of his office that he fell into the roison d ' etre as a Past Master that

day ; Bro . Parkinson so impressed him with the dignity and high importance of Freemasonry that he felt it was only due to Bro . Parkinson to say so . There were other distinguished Past Masters , and they all knew what he felt and thought of them . Now , to come to himself for a moment . He had had a few good " notices " in his time ; he wished he had thought of it and brought them down ;

they would have made very interesting reading ; but they had always been in print , and he had not been able to reply to them ; but he was able at last to face a journalist , and tell him that he highly appreciated what he had done . He did not mind admitting there had been occasions when he had gone into corners and made use of very bad language ; but on the whole the notices had been

most favourable . Now , it was quite impossible for him to thank the brethren in adequate terms for the manner they had received the toast of his health . Once before he had had that day to thank them for favours received , and he made use of an expression that his year of office would bo a memorable one to him . It was only then , sitting at the table , he realised how good they had been . Twelve

months ago , when he first sat in the chair , he hardly knew on the previous evening that his voice would be able to travel the length of the Lodge . But , thank God , he was able to make his voice heard , and he had been able to do it since ; he had been able to do it that day to the best of his skill and ability , and assured them his year of office would be a memorable one . He had had some sorrow ; he had had some joy ; he had lost some good friends , but he had

made some new and valued ones . Well , the time was getting short , and he must go to another place . So then his health being disposed of , he must now ask the Brethren to bear with him a few moments , whilst he performed what was to him , perhaps , the greatest pleasure that day—to propose the health of the W . M . Without " giving him away " at all , Bro . Catling said to him the other day— " I say , if I propose your health , will you propose mine ? " Well , ho jumped at it , because once again the Brethren

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would see the advantage of working together . Well , it was unnecessary for him - ho could not give Bro . Catling such a good " notice " as Bro . Catling had given him ; it was n > -t Iris busim ts ; but what he knew of the excellent work Bro . Catling had done in other places—Masonicallv and otherwise—lie felt sure they all

knew Bro . Catling was tbe very ablest man to fulfil the nuties of Master of the Drury Lane Lodge . It was impossible for him to go on much further ; he felt they were rather resolving themselves into a little mutual admiration society ; but it was sincere and heartfelt he assured them , and therefore without further words he would ask the Brethren to drink the health of the W . M .

Bro . Catling , in responding , said it would be a difficult task for him to reply to but that he was assured that he might rely upon their kindness for any shortcomings . He had almost thought himself like that " fly in amber " — " how he ever got there "—in the chair . He , a journalist , whose work was with the pen , and not the tongue—to be Master of that Ledge , and have his name

inscribed on the banner presented by their honorary members . It was only because he had shown some of that ability which the first Lord Lytton put into words— " Man has no majesty , like earnestness . " He had no majesty , but ho had endeavoured to be earnest in what he had done in regard to Masonry . Bro . Catling referred to his first desire to become a Mason , communicated to one of the

founders of the Drury Lane Lodge—Sir Augustus Harris ; to his impressive initiation by Bro . Parkinson , and his subsequent dealings with the Craft wherein he had met many of the leading actors of tho day , ar d had seen thiown aside any hostility—supposed to exist—between the stage ard the press . He should do the best in his power to uphold the honour and dignity of the Lodge during his Mastership .

The Master next proposed the toast of the Visitors , coupling with it the names of several distinguished guests . Bros . General Laurie and Professor Garner replied , the latter giving an amusing account of his travels in Africa , and his researches there among the monkey tribe .

The toast of tho Officers was acknowledged by Bro . Oscar Barrett , after which the Tyler brought the proceedings to a conclusion . The meeting was altogether a great success , the musical entertainment being especially good .

Masonic Sonnets, No. 85.

Masonic Sonnets , No . 85 .

BY BBO . CHAS . F . FORSHAW , LL . D . 295 and 2417 ( E . G . ) , Hon . Mem . 1242 ( E . C . ) and 24 ( S . C . )

— : o : — . BUILDING . All men are Builders in this earthly sphere—Some build a mansion , somo a humble cot ; Some raise a palace stately , yetsevere Which quickly crumbles and is soon forgot . There is a House not built by human hands ,

w nere dwells our glorious Arcnitect Divine ; 'Tis reared upon a Mount in beauteous lands Know ye the Password and the Mystic Sign ? Have ye built here my Brethren of the Square So that its door be opened to your Knock ? Have ye the Fortitude and Strength to dare

To climb the steeps that lead you to its Rock And face the Tyler with a dauntless breast And give him Proof you ' ve Laboured for your Rest ? Winder House , Bradford , 1 st February 1894 .

Rosicrusians.

ROSICRUSIANS .

THE York College held its annual meeting on the 17 th inst ., at the Masonic Rooms , St . Saviour ' s Gate , York , when Bro . W . H . B . Atkinson , of Pontefract , was . installed as Celebrant for the ensuing year , in succession to Bro . Wm . Flockton , of Oulton 1 The ceremeny of irstallation was performed by Bro . T . B .

Whytehead , of York , the Chief Adipt . The Officers for the ensuing year were invested , and the other business of the meeting was transacted , including the reception of five candidates , that interesting ceremony being performed by Bro . Flockton , the retiring Celebrant , as his final official duty . The College meets quarterly , each time at a

different place , ancl is a masonic Archaeological Order , the spring and summer fixtures being usually at some place interesting from its historical or archaeological associations . o o o

The Yeovil Masonic Hall Company , Limited , has been registered with a Capital of £ 2 , 000 in £ 5 shares , the object being to erect and mantain a hall at Hendford .

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