Early Closing.

EARLY CLOSING .

WE recently had the pleasure of attending a Lodge , the summons for which bore a notice at the foot , to the effect that the Tyler ' s toast would be given at 10 . 30 p . m . Pointing out this most unusual

announcement to another Visitor he endorsed our view that it would be very enjoyable if the proceedings were brought to a conclusion at that hour , but , he said , " it is too good

to be true . " And so we and others thought , especially as there was an exceptionally long programme of music to be gone through , with every prospect of long and

varied speeches during the evening ; but the Master proved true to his word , and punctually at half-past ten the Tyler was summoned to give the conluding toast of t he evening , and that , too , without any curtailment of the programme , or any unseemly haste in the social amenities of the meeting .

The Masonic business being ended at this reasonable hour it was possible to spend a few minutes in friendly conversation before it was necessary to leave for home

and the punctuality of the Worshipful Master was so favourably commented upon by those present as to convince him and others who were there , we should imagine , that Masonic meetings would be much more enjoyable to ordinary members of the Order if hhey

were brought to a conclusion at an earlier hour . We have frequently written on this subject , and have been met with the argument that it is impossible to close thus early without considerably curtailing the ordinary

programme of an evening , but the experience gained at the Lodge we have referred to , and at others where a rigid observance of punctuality is aimed at , has convinced us that late hours are as unnecessary as undesirable , and in saying that we are putting the case very strongly .

Interchange of visits has become so popular among Freemasons , and the presence of a number of visitors at nearly every meeting of a Lodge so common , with a general desire among the entertainers to do everything

in their power to ensure the enjoyment of the guests , that we are surprised this phase of the question has not received attention before now , for it is certainly one drawback to frequent visiting that the meetings usually

end so late , in fact it often happens that guests have to leave before the toast of the Visitors is reached , or put themselves to serious inconvenience in order to reach their homes in the suburbs or some distant part of the

metropolis . All this inconvenience could be prevented if systematic endeavour was made by those in authority to bring our Masonic meetings to a conclusion at a

reasonable hour , and if they did so we are convinced they would not only enjoy themselves the more , but would ensure the comfort of very many of those who meet with them at the festive board .

Freemasonry In Torquay.

FREEMASONRY IN TORQUAY .

( Continued from p . 172 . ) HAVING noticed some details connected with the premises in which the meetings of the Lodge have been held for the past 84 years , let us now direct our attention to that more important feature of our Masonic

institution , the living stones that form the true Masonic Temple , and if we can trace in these records of our Brethren the efforts that have led up to the present happy position that we hold , then it becomes us to follow them in the same path that leads to success . The history of

St . John ' s Lodge has been marked by several very happy incidents , from which it will not be very difficult to discover the cause of its present prosperity . There have been other Lodges formed under more ostentatious

circumstances and amid a greater display of distinguished patronage , when the grand principles of our sublime Order have been amply set forth in the most eloquent terms ; yet , alas , some of these Lodges that started under

such favourable auspices have soon lost their early zeal and Masonic good intentions . The introduction of an

unworthy element in the Lodge has darkened all its prospects for good . The " Morning Star " has ceased to shine ; it is lost for ever in eternal darkness . The noontide heat of an unfortunate element extinguished it altogether . That great and good Freemason , the late

Rev . Dr . Oliver , who was the cynosure of the past Masonic generation , could supply us with ample material , if we lack it , by which we might gauge the misfortune of admitting unworthy members into our Order . Take for instance the Apollo Lodge , that he formed at Grimsby ;

how well it worked . What a fine prospect appeared to open out before it , as the worthy doctor brought around it his many gifts and graces , but , alas , as soon as Dr . Oliver left that part of the country , undesirable

candidates were received . Then the Lodge fell , never to rise again . If this was the cause of past failures in Freemasonry , inagurated under such favourable circumstances how can we wonder at the disasters we meet with nowaday . I remember the oration of W . Bro . L .

P . Metham , then D . Prov . G . M . of Devonshire , when he was addressing the Brethren at the Consecration of the Dawlish Lodge , on the 28 th August 1873 . He

said : — "At all cost , my Brethren , refuse admission to the unworthy and the unfit . Let no ambition to enlarge your numbers , no eagerness to increase your funds , ever divert you from following the straight and undeviating line which should ever mark the footsteps of the true

Mason . " The acceptance or rejection of such wise counsel will always determine the success or destruction of every Masonic Lodge . In quoting another paragraph that fell from the lips of the same orator , I will , by that paragraph , reveal to you the secret of the success that

attended the first efforts of this Lodge . It is couched in these words : — " By examining every block and defective ashlar , by rejecting the unworthy , because they cannot

be again rejected if you pass them into the building . " From those who could give me information with regard to the early events in St . John ' s Lodge , I have been assured that the Brethren were scrupulously careful as

to the acceptance of candidates for Freemasonry . This excellent Masonic principle was the secret of the Lodge being able to hold its own wheu its members were very few in number . That there were among the founders of