Reports Of Meetings.

EEPOETS OF MEETINGS

— : o : — METKOPOLITAN . JOHN CARPENTER LODGE , No . 1997 . A MEETING was held on tlie 11 th , at the Albion , Aldersgate Street , for tho installation of Bro . John P . W . Goodwin as W . M . for tho ensuing twelve months . The ceremony was rendered in an admirable manner by tho out-going Master Bro . Lewis Ferguson . Bro . 0 . W . C . Hutton P . G . D . P . M . was re-invested

Treasurer , and Bro . James Pinder Prov . Treas . Essex P . M . was re-appointed Secretary of the Lodge . Besides the members a number of distinguished Masons were present , says the " City Press , " including Bro . F . A . Philbriek Grand Registrar D . P . G . M . Essex .

o o o CORDWAINER WARD LODGE , No . 2241 . THE Annual meeting was held at the Cannon Street Hotel , on Wednesday , the 16 th inst ., the W . M . Bro . J . R . Eeep

presiding . The only items on the agenda were the election of a Joining Member and the Installation of Bro . F . W . Potter as W . M . Bro . Potter is well known in the City and especially in the Great City Lodgo .

The installation ceremony was ably performed by the out-going Master , who was assisted by Bro . Henry Lovegrove acting as D . C . The Officers for the year were invested . The members and visitors at thc close of tho business dined together in tho Pillar Eoom .

o o o LONDON SCOTTISH RIFLES LODGE , No . 2310 . ALTHOUGH a comparatively junior member on the muster roll of Grand Lodge this body has been steadily growing since its consecration in 1889 , and as there are nearly a thousand members in the Volunteer Brigade there is no reason why the London Scottish Eifles Lodge should not prove as great an assistant to tbe cause of Freemasonry as the corps will doubtless bo in time of need .

On the 17 th inst ., tho members and their friends assembled at the Criterion , Eegent Circus , W ., to celebrate tho annual festival , and they who were fortunate in being present had a Masonic treat that has been seldom equalled . Bro . S . A . Hardiman , a skilled Master of the noble science , presided , and was supported by his Officers , and the following

Brethren : —Saml . Cochrane P . G . T ., Scott Young P . M . 226 P . P . G . S . B . East Lanes ., C . H . Stone P . M . 507 , C . W . Davis P . M . 1216 , George White P . M . 975 , Thos . Pargeter P . M . 1598 , R . A . Marshall I . P . M . 1216 , Orlton Cooper P . M . 211 , Stuart Bygrave W . M . 1658 , H . Glynn-Smith P . M ., Dr . W . H . Pardoe Secretary , Jas . Smith 1598 , R . Mackway 1987 , J . A . Watson 160 , J . C . Jee 1658 , Mclntyre North P . M . 1539 .

After the minutes had been read , Bros . W . H . Hislop and W . W . Horsburgh having proved their proficiency , were raised to the sublime degree . Bro . Sydney F . Mackway having been duly elected as W . M . for the year at the previous meeting was then presented , and at a large board of Installed Masters was placed in the chair of King Solomon according to ancient custom . Both the ceremonies were most impressively worked by Bro . Hardiman , and ensured the commendation of the Brethren .

The new Master appointed and invested the following Officers :- — J . J . Maekay S . W ., A . J . Braik J . W ., E . J . Husey Treasurer , W . H . Pardoe Secretary , R . B . Fowler S . D ., R . Grant J . D ., W . Evans I . G ., I . McKinlay D . C , Capt . D . Whyfe A . D . C , Alexr . Howden Steward , Graham Gordon Organist , and W . Robertson Tyler .

A Past Master ' s jewel , voted by the Lodge , was presented to Bro . S . A . Hardiman I . P . M ., as an acknowledgment of the admirable manner in which he had conducted the Lodge during the past year , which was suitably acknowledged .

Tho report of the Audit Committee was received , and three new candidates were proposed for the nexfc meeting . This concluding the business of the evening the Lodge was closed , and the Brethren adjourned to the large dining-hall for the enjoyment of the more social benefits of the Craft .

Bro . Sydney F . Mackway , the new Master , was born on the 18 th April 1851 in London , and was initiated into Freemasonry about nine years ago in the Skelmersdale Lodgo , No . 1618 , held at the Surrey Masonic Hall . He was one of the founders of the London Scottish Eifles Lodge . He is J . elect of the Macdonald Chapter , No . 1216 , and S . O . of the Kintore Mark Lodge , No . 333 . We heartily wish him success on his present promotion .

Provincial.

PROVINCIAL .

— . u . — ST . JOHN THE BAPTIST LODGE , No . 39 . AT a Lodge of Emergency held at the Freemasons' Hall , Exeter , the Prov . G . M . ( Bro . Viscount Ebrington ) , the Deputy Prov .

G . M . ( Bro . W . G . Rcgors ) , and other Grand Lodge Officers were present and witnessed an initiation . At the close the P . G . M . congratulated the W . M . ( Bro . Andrew Hope ) and the Officers on the excellent working of the Lodge .

Provincial.

LOYAL CAMBRIAN LODGE , No . 110 . AT the meeting on Thursday , tho 3 rd inst ., at Merthyr-Tydvil , Bro . Sandbrook W . M . presiding , it was decided to present to Dr . Dyke P . M . a portrait of himself in recognition of tho

interesting fact that for fifty-five years he has been a subscribing member of the Lodge , and is probably , says the " South Wales Daily News , " the oldest subscribing member of any Masonic Lodge in England . o o o

YORK LODGE , No . 236 . AT a recent meeting , after tho ordinary business had concluded , an interesting presentation was made to Bro . Councillor E . W . Purnell a Past Master of the Lodge , as a memento of the occasion of his marriage . The present consisted of a very handsome case of ivory and electro-plated cutlery , and was handed to tho

recipient by Bro . Joseph Todd P . M . and Prov . G . Treasurer , who in the course of an appropriate speech eulogised the services of Bro . Purnell and tendered to him the hearty congratulations of thc Lodge on his marriage . Bro . Purnell suitably acknowledged the gift . o o o

LODGE OF UNITY , No . 267 . AT the annual meeting on Thursday , the 17 th inst ., at the Lodgo Eoom in the Macclesfield Arms Hotel , Macclesfield , Bro . Councillor Edwin Crew W . M . presiding , the Mayor ( Bro . Alderman Geo . Fountain ) was unanimously elected W . M . for the ensuing year . Bro . Crew congratulated his Worship on his election , and tho

Lodge on their selection , feeling sure that the Mayor would devote the same assiduity and attention to the duties of the Lodge that he applied to everything ho undertook , and that > the interests of Masonry would be promoted by tho appointment . Tho Mayor briefly acknowledged the compliment paid him .

During tho past half dozen years no fewer than four Mayors of fche borough havo been members of ono of tho two Masonic Lodges . o o o

LODGE OF FAITH , No . 581 . nnO perform three Ceremonies upon an ordinary night may be JL considered no small amount of work , but to accomplish this task in a fairly representative Lodge , and in the midst of a Whitweek saturnalia which Lancashire folks , and more especially the residents in and immediately around Manchester enjoy with such

holiday abandon , may be characterised as extraordinary devotion to duty even on the part of thorough going Masons . Yet on Wednesday of last week an Initiation , a Passing , and a Eaising wero undertaken at the above Lodge , and what is more to the point they were cheerfully and satisfactorily performed .

In fche first instance a ballot was taken for Mr . George Edward Mellor , Engineer , Fairfield , which terminated successfully , and tho candidate , by tho aid of Bro . Brown W . M ., made his first researches into the mysteries of ancient Freemasonry . Bro . Jabez Hibbs

subsequently passed to the degree of a F . C , this ceremony also being performed by the W . M ., while the third ceremony , that of raising Bro . Stephen Watson was undertaken by Bro . G . H . Barnes I . P . M . The working tools in each instance were presented and explained by Bro . Joseph Lever J . W .

At the festive board , the W . M . proposed the health of the newly-initiated Brother , saying that though Bro . Mellor might have felt nervous whilst being taken through tho first degree , it was a natural failing which ho would no doubt get the better of as

he made further progress . Bro . Brown paid a very high tribute to the candidate , and stated that he had known him as a companion of his boyhood ' s days , and he could safely affirm that he possessed those qualifications which were eminently calculated to produce a good and true Freemason .

Bro . Mellor , in reply , said that it afforded him exceeding great pleasure to be there and respond in the capacity of a newlyinitiated candidate . Judging from what little he had seen , Freemasonry was one of those things which brings individuals

more into social contact with each other , and he believed that he should become attached to ifc as its principles were made clear to him . He apologised for the shortness of his speech , saying that he did not feel well , but hoped to gratify their expectations upon some future occasion .

The W . M . proposed tho health of the newly-passed Brother , to which Bro . Hibbs said in response that it was with very great pleasure he could admit the fact of having enjoyed the second ceremony better than the first , and he anticipated that when he came to the third degree he should be able to speak of it still more satisfactorilv .

The W . M . also proposed the health of thc newly-raised Brother , saying that Bro . Watson would no doubt bo glad to find himself out of his difficulties in Masonry . Apparently what he had seen he had appreciated . The third ceremony especially was one which , to a true and genuine Mason , would never bo forgotten .

Bro . Watson admitted the truth of Bro . Brown's remarks , and acknowledged that the third degree was indeed a beautiful ceremony , thc memory of which he should retain throughout his life . He thanked the Officers for the trouble they had taken in pulling him through .

At the festive board , songs , recitations , etc ., were given by several Brethren , which were a pleasant contrast to the various toasts and speeches . There were present : —Bros . Henry B . Brown W . M ., Joseph Lever J . W ., W . Jones S . D ., Eobert Adshcad J . D ., G . H . Scott I . G ., J . C . Brown Treasurer , J . M . Frost Secretary , G . H . Barnes I . P . M ., S . Whittaker P . M ., B . Swift P . M ., E . Eoberts P . M . ( FBEEMASON ' S CHBONICLE ) , Stephen Watson , Saml . Andrew , Jabez Hibbs , Chas .