Notices Of Meetings.

NOTICES OF MEETINGS .

ALL SOULS' LODGE , No . 170 .

A MEETING of more than usnal interest and importance marked the re-opening , on the 10 th inst ., in Weymouth , after extensive alterations , of the Masonio Hall belonging to AU Souls ' Lodge , No . 170 . The W . M . of the Lodge , Bro . Zillwood Milledge P . M . P . P . G . D . C . Dorset , the representative of a name connected with Freemasonry in Weymouth for close upon a century , threw himself with

characteristic vigour and earnestness into tho work of renovation and the formality of re-opening , and the result was iu every way a great success . The alterations include the re-arrangomenfc of the form of the Lodge , placing it due east and west , the erection of a new dais for the Master and Past Masters , general re-decoration

throughout , and the construction of a kitchen with all necessary appliances . This has been carried out from the designs and under the personal supervision of Bro . W . Barlow-Morgan , one of the Past Masters of the Lodge , the contractor for the buildors' work being Mr . Whettam , and for painting and decorating Mr . James

Jesty . The dais had been ereofced in an apse under an arch supported by Ionic columns with oharaoteristio frieze , cornice , and capitals , the spandrils being filled in and the mouldings ornamented with appropriate designs in papier mache , embracing pomegranates , lilies , wheat , and other emblematical subjects , and the whole painted

in white picked out in gold . The Past Masters landing is approached by five steps , with two others leading to the chair of tho W . M ., and the back has been draped with an exceptionally rich curtain in bine and gold ( whioh was supplied by Mr . T . H . Williams ) . The centre of the floor haa been repainted in a Masonio pattern und the

sides covered with linoleum ( supplied by Messrs . Hallett ) , tho walla repainted in Vermillion , and the ceiling blue , the ornamonts being in ¦ white and gold ; and the pictures , including two full-length oil portraits , have been re-hnng under the supervision of Bro . Sidny Milledge . The gathering to mark the realisation of this long-felt need ,

although not precisely what it promised to be , was alike gratifying and influential , and thoroughly testified to the fraternal feeling for which the Freemasons are distinguished . Several prominent loaders in the Craft , who had givon conditional promises to attend , notably the Right Worshipful Bro . Montagu Guest , the Provincial Grand

Master of Dorset , and the Right Worshipful Bro . W . W . Beach , M . P ., GranrJ Master for Hampshire , with Bro . Col . Hambro , M . P ., sent letters explaining their enforced absence , and the following put in an appearance : —The Worshipful Deputy Provincial Grand Master for Dorset , Bro . W . E . Brymer ; Bros . W . Mortimer Heath P . G . Chaplain

England , Colonel Shadwell Clerke Grand Secretary England , Sir Richard Howard Grand Deaoon England , J . M . P . Montagu P . S . D . England , G . J . G . Gregory P . M . 147 P . P . G . S . W ., J . Trevor Davies P . M . 1168 P . G . S . W ., R . D . Thornton P . M . 417 P . G . Treasurer , Dr . Webb P . M . 1367 P . P . S . G . W ., Rev . H . Milner 1266 P . P . S .

Chaplain Surrey and Dorset , C . J . Philips P . M . 130 P . P . G . S . D . Hants and Isle of Wight , G . J . Davies P . P . G . Steward Cheshire , 0 . P . Gee P . M , 1037 P . P . Organist , E . Newman S . D . 417 , G . Oldfield Secretary 417 , E . W . Young I . G . 417 , R . Toleman W . M . 1367 , Rev . W . C . Brown

S . W . 386 , J . E . Stroud W . M . 417 , R . Score jun . 1037 , S . Jackson 1037 , C . J . Freeman 1037 , C . A . Cox 1669 , J . W . Board J . W . 1037 , E . Mills S . W . 1037 , C . Hunt 412 , J . T . Read , E . E . Harding J . W . 2108 , B . A . Hogg P . M . 417 , T . D . C . Levorett 68 , A . W . Moore 189 ,

J . Ley W . M . 472 , H . F . Harvey P . M . 622 , J . F . Hatchard W . M . 622 , S . H . Wallis 1037 , R . W . Board Secretary 2255 , W . H . Dunman

417 , W . H . Mann 1091 , W . J . Nosworthy P . M . P . P . G . Organist Somerset , C . M . Watling 274 , G . Habgood J . D . 622 , H . Cooke 1037 , with the following Past Masters of the Lodge : —J . B . Cole

P . P . G . S . B . j H . T . Georgo P . P . G . Registrar , Pelly Hooper P . P . G . Registrar , R . A . Ayles P . P . G . J . D ., A . Reynolds , A . Graham P . P . G . J . W ., A . McLean P . G . J . D ., C . G . Targett P . P . G . J . D .,

J . Lowe P . P . G . J . D ., T . R . Charles P . P . G . J . D ., R . Cox P . P . G . Assistant D . C , and the following members of the Lodge : —Brothers J . Rowe , H . Russell , W . H . Perry , F . W . Padgett , J . N . V . Ryan , G . N . Waterman , H . J . Groves , J . T . Whettam , J . H . Bowen , J . Lee jun ., W . Osborne , G . P . Symes , Tom Cooper , E .

Michell Smith , Sidny S . Milledge , J . Lyon , M . D ., B . N ., D . H . Williams , H . Pittis , W . D'Angibau , Lieutenant Jenkins , H . Hughes , F . W . Hetley , J . E . Crickmay , B . Morris , W . H . Porter , and H . Warren ; the Officers present were the W . M . Bro . Zillwood Milledge P . M . P . P . G . D . C ., Alan MoLean P . M . P . G . J . D . I . P . M ., Rev . J .

Hubert Scott , M . A ., P . P . G . Chaplain S . W ., W . Smith J . W ., Rev . J . Meigh Chap ., J . A . Sherren P . M . P . P . G . Pursuivant Treasurer , H . J . Jesty Secretary , A . Rayner S . D ., H . J . Groves acting J . D ., W . B . Morgan P . M . P . P . G . Superintendent of Worka D . G ., H . Gibbs P . M . P . P . G . D . C . Organist , E . T . Targett P . M . P . P . G . J . D . and

F . Reynolds Stewards , J . T . Whettam acting I . G ., R . Simmonds Tyler , W . J . Clare Assistant Tyler , D . Haylefct Tyler 622 , W . Talbot Tyler 417 , and T . W . Mills Tyler 1037 . The brethren having duly assembled and received the distinguished visitors in due form a hymn of invocation appropriate to the special

ocoasion , was sung by a small choir , consisting of Bros . H . Warren , Mills , Board sen . ( conductor ) and jun ., Gee , C . J . Phillips , Rayner , and Hughes , the Organist of the Lodge P . M . H . Gibbs presiding at the organ . The transaction of a little formal business followed , and the same brethren sang the anthem " Behold how good

and joyful a thing it is , brethren , to dwell together in unity , " to the mas o of Dr . Clarke Whitfeld . The W . M . next proffered a warm and hearty welcome to the visitors ; and addressing them on the special objeot of the meeting , which he said was unique of its kind in the Province of Dorset , said that for many years past , in fact ever

since 1819 , the incongruous position of the Master ' s chair in that Lodge had been remarked on . Many suggestions had been made to alter it , and to place the Lodge in correct Masonio position as regarded the cardinal points . He remembered that in 1884 , when he had the honour of being Master , this waa fully discussed , but not

Notices Of Meetings.

earned out . Last Christmas , when the brethren again did him the honour of eleoting him as Master , ho determined that , with their assistance , he would get the work done dnring the current year . He consequently conferred with several of the brethren , and notably with their W . M . Bro . W . Barlow-Morgan , who most

generously gave his professional services gratuitously , to whom thoy were indebted for tho excellent plans prepared by him , and who elaborated every detail as the works proceeded . The Lodge appointed a committee , who examined tho plans , which were produced to the Lodge and approved , and he was authorised to get tho

work done Bro . Morgan and himself went to Loudou to sao fcho manufacture of fibrous plaster , of which the capitals of those columus , and the cornices , and the frieze were made .- He left it to them to say if they met their approbation . Tho works executed consisted in the removal of the old and useless organ , the doing away

with the organ chamber , and the construction of the apse , the spaco being taken out of two small rooms ( tho old organ front had been erected over tho harmonium at the west end of the hall ) , the building of a new kitchen with lift , the conversion of the old kitchen into an ante-room , with entrance into the Lodge , the construction of

a dais , approached by seven steps , and the re-arrangement of the furniture , rendered necessary by tho alterations . These works had cost about £ 150 . Afc the time the Lodge had agreed to do this he said he hoped the fees taken from initiates and joining

members this year would cover tho cost , so no debt would be contracted which it would bo a burden for tho Lodge to bear . He still believed this would be the caso . They had initiated nino candidates , and had nine joining members , and the foes and first year's subscriptions from these amounted to about £ 140 . Ho further believed

that at no period ofitsexistonco was All Souls' Lodgo more numerous , more prosperous , or had members of better social status than now . He was glad it was so . lie , however , wanted no iucroase of members if it meant a loss of respectability ; on tho contrary , he would rather they lost in members if they gained in respectability . Woll , tho

work being completed , it was thought it would bo a good thing it thoy could get some rulers of the Craft to grace by their prosoneo tho ceremony that day . Ho thanked those present for their attendance , and for tho kindly promptitude with which thoy accepted hia invitation , and he prayed the great Architect of the Universo to so bless

that Masonic Temple , raised to His glory , so that the lives lived by the members of this Ancient Fraternity might convince the world that a good Mason was a good man , and that by reason of being a Mason he was a bettor man than a good man not a Mason . Ho now declared All Souls' Lodge dedicated afresh to the glory of God and

for the purposes of Freemasonry for all time , and he called on their Chaplain , the Rev . J . Meigh , to read suitable portions of the Sacred Law , and to offer the dedicatory prayer , the brethren remaining seated during the reading , and whilst the prayer was being offered standing facing the east . The Rev . J . Meigh ( of St . Peter ' s ,

Portland ) then read portions of 2 Chronicles vi . 1-21 , 32 , 33 , 40-42 ; and vii . 1-3 ; and offered a dedicatory prayer which included an appropriate supplication to the great Architect of the Universe , to pour upon the undertaking the heavenly dew of His blessing . Might the Lodge now re-dedicated to His holy name and service be

crowned with His blessing and Almighty protection . Might the symbols of the Order , like those in King Solomon's temple , teach them wisdom ; might the re-arranged Lodge remind them that aa tho divine skokinah , which was the visible token of His presence , ontered the Temple from the eastward and shined to the westward ,

so all light and wisdom had shone from the east to the west ; and might the goodness which , inspired the founder of this ancient Ordei with the grand idea of uniting the wise and good in every nation in the bond of brotherly love , stimulate thorn to practise every social and moral virtue—fidelity , obedience , temperance , prudence ,

justice , benevolence , charity ; to cultivate that brotherly love which is tho foundation and copestone , tho cement and glory , of their ancient Fraternity ; aud to be so cautious in their words and carriage that tho most penetrating stranger might not discover or liud out what was not proper to be imitated . A sacred chorale was next

given by the choir , and then the Treasurer of the Lodge ( Bro . Jno . A . Sherren P . M . P . P . G . P . ) read a sketch of the history of the Lodge , containing many details of considerable interest to the members of tho Craft and tho following goneral particulars . Although the Poole Lodge celebrated its centenary earlier than All Souls ' , and

stands first on the Provincial roll , yet Masonry in Weymouth is of older date . It can be traced from tho year 1736 , when a Lodge was constituted and held at the Three Crowns . This Lodge , however , was erased in 1754 . In 1776 another Lodge , called " The Weymouth , " was constituted , but for not conforming to the laws of the

society was erased in the year 1788 . A third Lodge , called the Arimathea , was constituted in 1808 , anc ? for about twenty years seems to have existed , it being erased iu 1828 . The All Souls' Lodge was constituted by the Grand Lodge of England , to hold its meetings at the Vine Hotel , Tiverton in the county of Devon , 24 th October

1767 , and was numbered 408 . In 1770 the number was altered to 343 ; in 1781 to 268 ; in 1792 to 226 ; at the union of the two Grand Lodges in 1814 it was altered to 283 ; in 1832 to 199 , and at the last re-adjustmont of the numbers , in 1863 , to the number it is now known by , 170 . In the year 1794 a largo part of the fcawu of

Tiverton was destroyed by fire ; and the warrant of constitution and minute books seems to have been either burnt or lost . The oklost minute book iu possession of the Lodgo apparently belonged to the Weymouth Lodge , No . 493 . It commences on 17 th June 1776 , with a list of nine members , to whom , in all probability , the charter

was granted . Next comes the names of those who were admitted into Masonry in the Lodge or who joined from other Lodges until the year 1793 . The Lodge appears to have met with reverses , for , on the 5 t , h January 1785 , the Lodge jewels and furniture were sold by

auction for £ 30 , and " a summons was delivered to every brother to appear at Bro . Morgan Wallis's house to receive his dividend of the purchase money . The members of the Lodge under notice were the founders of All Souls ' , for in 1803 they presented a petition to