Installation Meetings, &C.

of the Lodge for the ensuing year , and the investiture of the other Officers of the Lodge . Thero was a very large number of brethren present , including many distinguished Visitors from long distances , aa the following list of names will show : —Bros . Francis J . Ferguson W . M . 414 and other Officers of the same Lodge , namely , Bros . Samuel Wheeler S . W . the W . M . elect , M . J . Withera J . W ., A . W .

Parry Secretary , D . H . Witherington S . D ., E . Blackwell J . D ., J . W . Martin M . C , J . C . B . Tirbutt Organist , C . G . Butler I . G ., G . W . Webb , and G . G . Hawkea Stewards ; P . M . ' s C Stephens , R . Bradley , C Oades , J . T . Blowers , W . W . Moxhay ( the Installing Master ) , J . W Hounalow , Edward Baker , and Samuel Bradley ; Bros . T . J . E . Hewlett , G . H . Stubington , F . J . Wellman , Cyril B . Tubbs , H . Higgs ,

George S . Gait , H . P . Knill , F . H . Furnival , C T . Rayner , J . Hopkins Walters , J . E . Sydenham , & o . Visitors—J . Stndholme Browrigg D . P . G . M . Berks and Bucks , the following Officers and members of the sister Lodge of Greyfriars 1131 , namely : —Bros . W . W . Ridley W . M ., J . H . Hawkes S . W ., J . T . Stransom Treasurer , T . J . Pulley 340 and 1101 , Arthur Welch P . M ., Edward Margrett P . M ., J . T .

Brown P . M ., and Bros . Oliver , Egginton , C Slaughter , & o . Among the other Visitors were Bros . W . Morris 1566 , R ; Nioholaon 1566 , W . Wella 777 , T . Lawler 1297 , Rev . Dr . Leighton Coleman , of the Carbon Lodge 242 U . S . A ., R . Payne 1328 , A . Mount 1328 , F . A . Jones 1566 , Albert R . Pritchard Chaplain ' Thames Lodge , H . W . Pritobett 1261 , 0 . Franklin Simmons 694 , Thomas Cooke inn . 1060 ,

H . W . Marshall 303 , W . Brown 597 , G . R . Faulkner 592 , 0 . A . B . Bignold 52 , W . Heath 1767 , J . Ashby 771 , J . Goddard 771 , E . Dalzell 1549 , A . Brakspear 1895 , & o . & o . Tho ceremony of installation was performed by Bro . W . W . Moxhay in a most able and impressive manner , and the investiture of the Officers followed . The following are the names of the Officera for the ensuing year : —Bros . Samuel

Wheeler W . M ., F . J . Ferguson I . P . M ., M . J . Withers S . W ., D . H . Witherington J . W ., Rev . N . T . Garry Chaplain , R . C Mount Treasurer , A . W . Parry Secretary , F . Blackwell S . D ., C . G . Butler J . D ., J . C B . Tirbutt Organist , J . W . Martin I . G ., G . W . Webb M . C , C H . Hawkes , J . E . Sydenham and J . H . Walters Stewards . The banquet took place at the Queen ' s Hotel , Reading , and waa a most

brilliant and successful gathering . About seventy-three brethren were present , and the Loyal and Masonic toasts were given and received with the usnal hononrs . Bro . R . Bradley responded to the toast of the Prov . Grand Officera Present and Past , and remarked that although no new Lodges had been added to the roll , still the affairs of the Province were in a satisfactory condition . He considered

the multiplication of Lodges waa not an unmitigated good , but would rather see the Lodgea already in existence maintained in a high degree of efficiency . The last ; year had been an exceptional one as regarded the special Masonic Charitable Institutions , the greatest amount ever known having been given in their support . The last Provincial Grand Lodge held in Windsor waa , he waa glad to say , a

very successful one , and he hoped the next Lodge , which would be held in High Wycombe , would be equally successful . He concluded by wishing the Officers of the Lodge of TJnion a very prosperous year of office . The toast of the I . P . M . Bro . F . J . Ferguson was received with expeptional cordiality , and mention was made of the valuable services rendered by him in connection with the additions recently made , and the increased accommodation thus provided in the

reception rooms at the Masonic Hall . Bro . C . Stephens , as Prov . Grand Treasnrer , in acknowledging the toast of his health , which waa most cordially received , spoke of the satisfactory condition of the funds of the Province , and said that speaking generally the Province of Berks and Bucks stood very well in comparison with the other Provinces . A party of musical brethren attended , and gave a capital selection of songs , & o ., under the direction of Bro . J . C . B . Tirbutt .

UNIVERSAL LODGE , No . 181 . THE installation meeting of this Lodge was held at Freemasons Hall on the 17 th inst ., when Bro . W . R . Norris was installed Worshipful Master for the ensuing year . The ceremony was performed by the retiring Master , Bro . T . 0 . Fryer , in a masterly manner . Hia eloquent and impressive delivery of tho various addresses being universally approved . There were present at the ceremony Broa . P . M . ' a Moring 9 , W . Batchelor 548 , E . Bolton 862 , W . G . Lemon

1601 , G . A . Taylor 217 , J . Hillhouse 228 , J . C Parkinson 181 P . G . J . D ., R . G . Glover 181 P . G . S ., Rev . W . T . Jones 181 , A . T . Layton 181 , H . A . Reed 181 , E . W . Stanton , H . D . Wood , W . B . Roberts , and numerous other brethren . At the conclusion of fche installation the brethren were re-admitted , and the W . M . proceeded with appropriate addresses to invest hia Officers as follow : —T . 0 .

Fryer I . P . M ., F . Low S . W ., E . J . S . Layton J . W ., Rev . W . T . Jones Chaplain , A . T . Layton P . M . Treasurer , H . A . Reed P . M . Secretary , T . J . Hanley S . D ., E . B . B . Reed J . D ., T . Adams I . G ., P . N . Harrower and W . R . Davidson Stewards , G . J . Dunkley Organist , J . Daly Tyler . The Officers having been appointed , fche W . M . rose and said : Brethren , before we adjourn from labour to refreshment , I have one

other and a very pleasing duty to perform . It will be in your recollection that afc our last Lodge meeting a sum of money was unanimously voted to purchase a P . M . ' s jewel for the out-going Master , now our I . P . M ., Bro . T . C . Fryer . Brethren , that jewel has been purchased , and ifc now falls to my lot to make the presentation , and in doing so I feel the greatest satisfaction , for I am convinced that no Master of the Lodge ever deserved such a recognition of services

more then does Bro . Fryer . Throughout his year of office he has worked both hard and conscientiously . Speaking for his Officers , and more particularly for himself , he would say ifc had been both a pleasure and an honour to work with such a Master . The brethren bad evinced their appreciation of his great abilities by voting fche magnificent jewel he was about to pin on his breast . The inscription ran thus : —

Presented to Brother T . C FRYER Past Master , By the brethren of the Universal Lodge , No . 181 , as a mark of their esteem for his ability and coprtesy during the year 1883 .

Installation Meetings, &C.

He ( fche W . M . ) wonld only add , the fervent hope thafc Bro . Fryer might be long spared to wear the jewel , and that ho would look upon it , not merely as an article of intrinsic value , bufc as a pleasant souvenir of the year he spent among the brethren of the Universal Lodge . Bro . Fryer I . P . M . responded , in suitable terms , and after thanking the brethren for the great kindness he had received at their

hands , added , he should never forget the happy year that had just passed away . The brethren then adjourned to a most reoherohj banquet in the adjoining hall . After the cloth waa cleared , and grace waa sung . In speaking to the first toast , tho Queen and tho Craft , the YVorshipful Master said dnring the forty-seven yeara Her Majesty had ruled the English nation she had striven to uphold

the dignity of her station . Had Her Majeaty belonged to the rougher sex doubtless she would have been more closely associated with Freemasonry . This might bo testified to by the fact that soon after her marriage she expressed a wish that her husband , the late Prince Consort , should join the Order . The late Duke of Sussex , however , who at thafc time occupied the Grand Master ' s chair , opposed this

wish , on the ground that the husband of the Queen of England should have no secrets that he could nofc disclose to his wife . It is said that on Her Majesty being told this , she rejoined , that as it waa deemed advisable Prince Albert should not become a Freemason , she hoped that if she had any sons tbe same objection might not be brought to bear on them , as she shonld like them to follow the example set by

her father , the late Duke of Kent . The toasfc was enthusiastically received , and the National Anthem waa sung . In proposing th « second toast , the W . M . said , where we to search the country through it wou'd be impossible to find a man more popular than the Most Worshipful the Grand Master . He is ever ready to devote his time to any movement that will tend to the advancement of fche nation ,

and he enters upon his public duties in no perfunctory spirit , but with a firm desire to carry them out successfully . This was fully exemplified in the case of the Royal College of Muaic and the late Fisheries Exhibition . Without further preface he would call upon the brethren to drink to the continued health of the Immediate Heir of England . On rising to propose the third toast—The Right

Honourable the Pro Grand Master the Earl of Carnarvon ; the Right Worshipful the Deputy Grand Master the Earl of Lathom ; and the rest of the Grand Officera Past and Present—Bro . Norris said he approached this toast with some amount of temerity ; they had with them two members of Grand Lodge , and he might perhaps say too little or too mhch . Yet on the Pro Grand Master too much praise could not be

bestowed . In the absence of the Most Worshipful the Grand Master it would indeed be difficult to find a more competent president , or one who displayed more courtesy . Tbe interest he took afc the last Quarterly Communication fully evidenced this , and all appreciated the efforts be made to provide accommodation for thoae who , from want of apace , were abut out from the sacred precinota of the Temple .

In all the Earl of Carnarvon did for Freemasonry he waa ably seconded by the Deputy Grand Master the Earl of Lathom . In fact , all the Grand Officera testified , by the zeal they diaplayed , that the best intereata of the Order were ever foremost in their thoughts . This had been proved by the two brethren—Broa . Parkinaon and Glover—with whom he would more immediately associate the toast .

The Worship ful Master then made reference to the many services Brother Parkinson bad rendered the Lodge , and to the interest he had taken in the establishment of the Universal Chapter , and concluded by calling on the brethren to do full honour to the toast . Brother J . S . Parkinson Past Grand Deacon responded in an eloquent and well-considered speech . After thanking the brethren for the

hearty reception they had given the toaat , and to the names of disfcin . guiahed noblemen who are afc the head of affairs , he stated the Grand Officers prided themselvea upon being fche representatives of fche Craffc , and in being able to further the interests of the great Order of Freemasonry . He could not , after a period of six and twenty years association with this Lodge , but be satisfied with the evidence of

strength and stability it now showed . The Officers who had been appointed that nig ht were connections of , and would doubtless prove worthy successors to , the long line of Past Masters of whom they all had good reason to be so proud . Personally he confessed to the deep interest he took in sustaining the prestige the Lodge had so long enjoyed ; he then made reference to the blood relationship existing

between several of tbe Officers and old members of the Lodge , and called attention to the fact , as evidencing the interest so well maintained by those long connected with it , and who desired to introduce those members of tbeir families who wished to join the Order . Brother Parkinson next touched upon the other branch of Freemasonry to which the Worshipful Master had alluded , viz ., the

establishment of a Royal Arch Chapter in connection with their Lod ^ e . He had spoken of shoals and difficulties they had had to encounter ; these , he was pleased to say , had all vanished , and the Universal Chapter was now in sonnd working order . After speaking in most eulog istic terms of the qualities and ability displayed by the Worshipful Master , Brother Parkinson indulged in some pleasant

reminiscences and compared fche present with fche past . Thirty years ago the members bad to join other Chapters , entirely distinct from this Lodge ; this happily was not tho case now , and concluded by remarking thafc ib needed no spirit of prophesy to foreshadow a continued prosperity under the rule of the present Worshipful Master . The Masonic Charities was the next toast bronght under notice by the

W . M . who stated that thongh the amount of £ 56 , 000 which had been collected during the past year waa a large one , it was but as nothing in comparison with what might be raised did all enter fully into the spirit of what ; they professed . Brother Norris urged that a Mason is nothing if nofc charitable , and made an urgent appeal on behalf of the Institutions . Afc this stage of the proceedings the charity box waa

passed round , and on the completion of its peregrinations the W . M , announced thafc the sum of £ 8 3 s 6 d had been collected . The I . P . M . proposed tbe henlth of the Worshipful Master . Brother Norris , by hia working that night , had testified his desire and shown his ability to uphold the traditions fche Universal Lodge could boast for being governud bv cnpable Craftsmen . Ifc was with great pleasure ho ( Bro .