Wythenshawe Lodge.

headquarters of the Lodge , and where its meetings will be held the third Wednesday in each month . Earl Egerton presided . At this , the usual Loyal and Masonic toasts were honoured in orthodox usage .

The Lodge opens under the most promising auspices , it has a snug little Lodge room , and possesses very pretty furniture , and as the principles of Freemasonry become to be understood and appreciated , we doubt not the Wythenshawe Lodge and Northenden will become an important centre of the Craft . " So mote it be . "— " Stockport Advertiser . "

Temperance Lodge.

TEMPERANCE LODGE .

TO the already extensive Province of West Lancashire another Lodge has been added , as on Monday afternoon the consecration of Temperance Lodge , No . 2174 took place at the Masonic Hall , Hope Street , Liverpool . A large number of Brethren were present to take part in the ceremony , the Consecrating Officer being Bro . Robert Wylie P . G . D . D . Prov . G . M ., who was ably assisted .

The Founders of the new Lodge are Bros . John Clayton P . M . 1570 , R . Owen P . M . 2114 , F . Wilkinson P . M . 594 , John Armstrong . Prov . J . G . W . Cheshire , W . Roberts , W . Merrick , J . Brookes ,. W . Kendrick , F . R . Dorsman , A . Adams , J . Wilkinson , C . Cottrell , J . Donaghy , F . Richardson , T . Harper , W . J . Shaw , and J . Chipchase .

The consecration ceremony was most impressively performed , the presiding Officer , Chaplain , and D . C . fulfilling their duties in a manner which called forth generous approbation , while the musical portion of the service was splendidly furnished by Bros . D . J . Davies , F . Tuson , Ben Roberts , N . F . Burt , J . R . Cave , and F . Lott .

After the final benediction had been said , the presiding Officer installed Bro . J . Clayton as the first W . M . of the Lodge , and he invested the Officers . The banquet was provided by Bro . J . Casey , and a capital musical programme and toast list were submitted .

New Gloucestershire Lodge.

NEW GLOUCESTERSHIRE LODGE .

rriHOTJGH the date is somewhat remote , some of our readers J _ will be glad to have early intimation of the fact thafc the Provincial Grand Master of Gloucestershire the Right Hon . Sir M . E . Hicks Beach , Barfc . has appointed Thursday , 6 th October , for the consecration of a new Lodge afc Nailsworfch . It will be named the Royal York , says the " Cheltenham Examiner , " and will be the seventeenth Lodge in the Province .

Kent.

KENT .

ON Wednesday of last week the annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Kent was held at the Victoria Hall , Hawley Street , Margate , under the banner of tbe Union Lodge , No . 127 , when there was a large gathering . The Prov . Grand Master Earl Amherst presided , supported by the Deputy Provincial Grand Master Bro . J . S . Eastes , as well as by several Officers of Grand and Provincial Grand Lodge .

After the Lodge had been opened , and the usual business of the annual meeting had been disposed of , the Prov . Grand Master appointed the following Brethren his Officers for the ensuing year , and duly invested them with the collars and jewels of office : — Bro . Sir Robert Hargreaves Rogers - - Senior Warden John Brighnrst .... Junior Warden

? ' w w ^ K Sett ' nn " " [ Chaplains Rev . W . H . Robins , D . D . - - - J * W . Russell ----- Treasurer Alfred Spencer - Secretary Edward Blanks - - - - Registrar MT . ' SS - " - " - " - " [ senior Deacons

&^ PSPB : : : : f ^^—A . A . Frigout ... - Superintendent of Works Tom Ryder -- --- Director of Ceremonies Wm . P . Dickinson - - - Deputy Dir . of Cers . A . S . Baskett - - - - j Edmund G . Walthew - - - > Assistant Dirs . of Cers .

George H . Russell - - . - J Qr . Mr .-Sergt . Joseph Lloyd - - Sword Bearer & - # rtor : : : : ( st ^ B *™ . Rev . P . O . Potter - Organist

James Tower - Assist . Secretary J . 8 . White .... Pursuivant Henry Ghalfont - Assistant Pursuivant Frederick Francis - - - - \ Chas . W . Blaxland- - - - Albert HHale - - - L

. - , . , Alfred Laurie -. - - - ^ Stewards . Chas . Franeia Qnicke - - - | Martin Jesse Dickins - /

Kent.

In addition to the above appointments the Provincial Grand Master conferred Past Provincial honours upon the following Brethren , in accordance with the resolution sanctioned b y Grand Lodge : —J . G . Podevin P . M . 199 ( Dover ) , W . Dawes P . M . 1854 P . P . S . G . W . Sussex ( Tenterden ) , and George Page P . M . 1209

P . P . G . D . ( Ramsgate ) Senior Wardens ; Felix Kite P . M . 503 P . P . G . D . C . ( Maidstone ) , and GeoTge F . Busbridge P . M . 1063 P . P . G . Assist . Sec . ( Mailing ) Junior Wardens ; W . Panneli P . M . 1089 P . P . G . S . of W . ( Sheerness ) , and Thomas Ayling P . M . 1096 P . P . G . D . C . ( Walmer ) Registrars ; Edward James Dodd P . M . 1223 P . P . G . O . ( Riverhead ) Senior Deacon .

The Brethren afterwards attended Divine Service , at the Parish Church , by the kind permission of the vicar , the Rev . Trelawney Ashton-Gwatkin , M . A . The Services being concluded , the Brethren returned to the Victoria Hall , and Provincial Lodge

was closed , after which the Brethren adjourned to the Foresters ' Hall , in the Union Crescent , to a banquet , presided over by the Provincial Grand Master , supported by Grand and Provincial Grand Officers .

The whole of the arrangements were abl y carried out by a Reception Committee of the Union Lodge , No . 127 , of which Bro F . Stanley the esteemed Secretary of the Lodge acted as Secretary .

Theory And Practice.

THEORY AND PRACTICE .

THEORE TICALLY , the Masonic Institution represents the best qualities of human nature , and the noblest forces that minister to the good of the individual man and the welfare of society . The ideal of Freemasonry is every way bright and beautiful . At the very beginning a man who desires to become a

Mason is told that he must present himself as a candidate " uninfluenced by mercenary motives , " being animated by " a desire for knowledge , and a sincere wish to be useful to hia fellow-men . " Being thus prompted he makes his application . Because of what he has read and heard of the Masonic

Fraternity , of its high standard of morals , the close fellowship of its members , and the beneficent work in which it is constantly engaged , he naturally expects to find associations of a worthy and exalted character , and to be greatly stimulated and helped by Masonic influences operating upon heart and soul .

It must be confessed that these ideals are not always realised . The practice , even within Masonic lines , is not always conformable to theory . The Brother just admitted to the Fraternity expects to find less of narrowness , selfishness , wrong-doing and uncharitableness among Masons than he has been accustomed to meet with in the world at large , and he

naturally expects to discover in his new Masonic relation a more consistent regard for truth , honour and right than is generally manifest , together with a special expression of those qualities which bind heart to heart , and contribute so much to the zest of life . Alas ! that these expectations are so imperfectly realised . In many things the " Practice " is found to be at variance wifch the " Theory . "

It is not pleasant to refer to some things which are known to exist in the Masonie organisation , and which work to its injury . Sometimes , however , they should be noted , for it is the part of folly to confuse conditions and make pretence that everything

is as ifc ought to be , when the facts , as they are generally known , do not bear out the assertion . A Craftsman is not less devoted to the Fraternity , that he cannot shut his eyes to its shortcomings and note some of the defects which attach to the system .

Not long ago we were present at the initiation of a candidate , a reputable business man in the community , who had waited until he had reached middle life before seeking entrance into the Fraternity . The Lodge was well attended that evening , the ritual was rendered in an excellent manner , and the ceremony was edifying throughout . At its close the newly admitted Brother walked homeward in company with the present writer .

In response to our question as to how he was impressed by the evening's proceedings , he said : " Almost the very moment I was told that I was a Mason , my glance rested upon a man whom I had known in business relations , and whose reputation in the community is far from good , and my thought was , how came this man to be a Mason ? It was a rude shock to find him

in the Lodge . ' However we may explain and justify the admission of such an one the fact remains that grievous harm is being done the Institution by admitting within its lines a man who is not of good repute in the community where he resides . It is a rude shattering of the high ideal formed when the initiate notes the presence of such a class at his first entrance into the Lodge .

It is much the same sort of awakening when a newly admitted Brother listens to the conversation of his Masonic associates , as they make harsh and reckless statements concerning an absent Craftsman of known repute , as they show a want of sympathy with the needy and distressed , and make light of