Masonic Thanksgiving Service At Battle.

magnificent . Seldom has such a volume of harmonious sound been heard in the sacred edifice . The hymn before the sermon wis— ' Shall praise or prayer . " The sermon was preached by Bro . the Rev . G . HOIKIES , P . P . G . Chap ., son of the late Rev . G . Hodges , vicar of St . Andrew ' s , Hastings , for many _ years , his text being— "And the Lord magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel , and bestowed upon him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel . " ( I . Chronicles , xxix , 25 ) .

During the callection of the offertory , vvhich , after ( he meeting of expenses , is to be devoted to the fund for improving the ventilation of thc church , the hymn , " Lord of all thrones , in Whom abide year past and years to be , " vvas

sunS * The blessing having been pronounced by thc DF . AS , Dyke ' s "To Deum vvas sung , and the Masonic hymn , " Novv the evening shadows closing , " vvas rendered by the Craft . " To thee , O God , be praise " was sung as the recessional hymn , and the choir , clergy , and brethren retired in the same order as they

entered , the Organist playing the Coronation Anthem as a concluding voluntary . In conclusion , it must be said that the choir acquitted themselves splendidly , the service being rendered vvith remarkable precision , and Mr . Goss Custard , the parish organist , is to be highly complimented on bringing his arduous work in training the choir for the occasion to such a successful result .

Craft Masonry.

Craft Masonry .

Buckingham Lodge , No . 591 . The annual festival and installation meeting of the above lodge was held en Thursday , the 17 th ult ., at the Masonic Hall , Aylesbury . Present : Bros . Iohn Reader , W . M . ; F . Edgirgtcn , I . P . M . ; H . Maitin , P . M ., P . P . J . G . W ., Treas . ; IC . . 1 . Mackrill . P . M ., P . P . J . G . W ., D . C ; I . Poulton , P . M ., P . P . J . G . W . ; H . Gallon , S . W . ; A . Watson , j . W . j and many ethers . Visiters : Bros . ) . J . Simcox , W . M . 1501 ; F . J . Hubbard , P . M . 2429 , P . P . G . D . Lanes ; H . H . Sherwin , P . M . 2420 ; W . Surfieet , W . M . 2420 ; G . Gibbs , P . M . 2420 ; J . Biodcrick , P . M . 15 O 4 , P . P . G . P . ; Madden , Lock , Turner , GristBatesand McKay .

, , The kdge having been opened , the minutes vvere read and confirmed . The report of the Audit Committee , which showed a balance of £ 80 Ss . gd ., w . ' . s unanimously adopted and ordered to be entered on the minutes . Bro . II . Calloa , VV . M . elect , wis then duly installed W . M ., the ceremony being ably performed by Bro . Martin , P . M ., Bro . Mackril ' , P . M ., delivering the lectures in a very impressive manner . A P . M . ' s jewel was presented by the W . M . to Bro . Reader . Bro . II . Turner was balloted for as

a joining member , vvhich proved unanimous . The lodge vvas then closed . The brethren dined together in the lower hall . The usual toasts were duly given and heartily received . During the evening the brethren were delighted by the excellent recitations of Bros . Boyle , Keatton , and Mills , of St . George ' s Chapel , Windsor , under the able conductorship of Bro . Percy Howard .

Florence Nightingale Lodge , No . 706 . The installation meeting of this lodge took place on Fiiday , the iSth ult ., at thc Royal Mortar , Bercsford-square , Woolwich , when the popular Master of the saloon steamer , Royal Sovereign , liro . Captain George F . Fishenden , S . W . and W . M . elect , vvas installed W . M . of the above ancient and excellent lodge . The lodge was opened by thc W . M ., Bro . Col .-Surgeon C . W . Moore-Keys , M . D ., A . M . D ., and the preliminary biisi . ioss having * - been settled , Bro . Dr . H . L . Bernays , P . M ., by request , assumed the chair as Installing Oflicer , and installed Bro . Fishenden

into the chair of K . S ., where he was proclaimed and saluted . He appointed and invested his cfliccrs as follows : Bros . C . W . Moore-Keys , I . P . M . ; F . S . Thomas , S . W . ; IC . Lone roan , I . W . ; Rev . C . Sw .-. inson , M . A ., Chap . ; A . Burnett , P . M ., Treas . ; F . G . Nichols , I'M ., Sec . j II . G . Mason . S . D . j F .. Wood , J . D . ; II . L . Bernays , P . M ., D . C ; D . G . Jelley , LG . ; L . F . Webber , A . D . C ; IC . G . Kimber , Captain E . _ M . Foster , and IC . W . Jelley , Stwd ? . Bro . F G . Nlchcls'thcn gave the addresses splendidly , and he and Bro . Bernavs weie thmked for their services . Bro . Moore-Keys was ptescnted with a handsanr . e Past-Master ' s jewel for his services to thc lodge and as a mark of the esteem of the brethren , and then the lodge was closed .

The banquet was served in the handsome assembly room of the hotel , and vvas well worthy of liro . Hall ' s fa . no as a fin , shed caterer . 'Ihe usual loyal and Grand Lodge toarls were drunk most enthusiastically , that of " The Oueen ami the Craft " being qu : I fed in bumpers , and amid long and continued cheeis ar . d sirging tf thc Nr-. tional Anthem .

Bro . Fisliendcn's health was . "Iso heartily icceivcd , and he feelingly responded . The cither usual toasts were honcurtd , aud among the other brethren present were Eros . G . H . Porter , W . M . ;<<>; H . Pammant , S . W . 700 ; D . K . Somers , W . M ., J . O . Coo \ t , S . \ V ., aiu \ J . J . MuAv , * , 3 . W .. S . U <¦{ ^ j , R . Fowlet , W . M . 152 , 0 ; H . Crowdy , W . M ., G . Dyer , S . W ., and J . Wheatley , J . W ., all cf 2 yyj ; G . Masters , P . M . ( Unattached ); A . G . Beale , I . M . 51 J 5 J . 11 . Roberts , P . M . and Treas . 700 ; W . J . Newton , 1 / 13 ; I . J . Collins ( Unattached ); I ) . Hills , 1056 ; G . llall , 1571 > Mttreiman , 1670 ; and R . Wilson , iCi ; o .

Citadel Lodge , No . 1897 . On Saturday , the 1 f . th uit ., this nourishing Middlesex lodge held its regular June meeting for the installation of anew W . M . at its usual place of meeting at liarrqwor .-the-Hill , under tic piesidency of the outgoing Master , Bro . W . J . Ball . The incoming Master was liro . L . Mantell , a highly-popular brother , well known ior many

years lo brethren attending ledges in Great Ouecn-strcct as thc courteous and obliging manager ef Messrs . Spiers and Pond , Limited , at Freemasons' Tavern j afterwards at the Criterion ; but who has now drifted into a crmparativtly private life by being appe ' nted Steward of the celebrated National Libeial Club on the Victoria Embankment . _ . . . ..

Afier Bro . Manlcll had been placed in the chair and had invested liro . W . J . Ball as I . P . M ., he received the salutes of the Beard of Masters , and when Ihe time arrived for the appointment arc ! investiture of his oflicirs for thc year the following brethren had the honour oi making up the list : Bros . ' . ] . Rathall , S . W . ; Whiteside , J . W . ; \ V . Hurran , Treas . ; J . Osborn , P . M ., P . P . G . Std . Br ., Sec . ; O . J . Von Holtorp , P . P . G D . C , D . C . ; K . Horstcd , S . D . ; W . Wright , J . D . ; J . A . Smallbor . ts , J . G . ; W . W . Wright , Prov . G . Org ., Orgrnist ; W . M . George , F . W . Kessler , and S . N . Lcvington , Stwds . ; and ICdmords , 'l yler .

'li . u bar . quet svas held foe the general cor . vcnkr . ee of the huge crmpany , who rice ' ved the distinction of an invitation , at the Agriculluial llall , Islington , wheie thc-ie : at down , ur . cY-r l ! ro . Mantcll ' s chaiimanship , Bros . F . L . Cuming , F . Kessler , A . IC . ilerstead , J . A . Sinnllbonts , F . O . Robeilson , G . W . A . Kayres , R . Apple-ton , W . Knowles , ll . T . Bicwr . e , P . G . Young , W . Worsler , W . M . Gower , T . Dawson , G . II . Phillips , C Cottrel ! , G . B . l'elor , F . T . Lewis , | . II . Fcge * , John Mason , P . G . Std . Br ., P . P . S . G . B . MicM * .: T . I . B ' rd , P . M . ; C I . I lavisor , P . M . ; II . G . Banks , P . M .:

| . H . Gisl-cn , P . M . ; aid W . If . Lee , P . M . Visitors : Bios . James lorry , ( ' G S . B ., Scrn-laiv Royal lilai ) n c Benevolent Institution ; ) . M . McLeod , P . G . S . li ., Sec . R . M . I , for Bov-: ; I'i . P . ValcrLr . i , W . M . 107 , i ' . G . S . B . ; IC . St . Cb . ir , P . A . G . D . C ; Henry Sadler , P . M . 21 . ' *; , G . Tyler ; John Potter , P . M . IO . - ; Lieut . I . G . W . lames , P . M . 1012 ar . d 7 .. . S , P . P . G . S . B . ; T . . M . -eon , 2455 ; S . Slater , 117 S ; W . ' Ue < keU , J . D . 10 . 2 ; R . . ' . I . II . Giillith , n . 77 ; II . M ; is :: e ,-, P . M . iy 2 S ; R

ICvans , K-2-, ; W . Fi veley , ! ' . : ¦ . ** j | . Hair . P . M . 1 , , _ ; II . | . I ) nlon , P . M . 25 ; W . G . Reed , 1 C 95 ; J . Sajle * . i . Vv' ; I- L « - *' -y , "'¦/ " * Leo , \' -. i (! ier , | . h . 10 S 7 ; 11 . WilLintr , 1507 ; H . Sam / iion , P . M . 142 . U W . IC . r inilh , . ¦ 241 ; U . Bullen , 2 ; , << -j ; W . Davis 340 ; F . Smalibor . ee , I 5 '< 7 ; and J . W . So yth , 14 : ; . 'I I . e . eoir : pany numbered over 100 injjall .

A nice selection of music war . po : formed ; , t mit rva ! : ; betw- 'cn the toasl . * : which followed the dinner , the executant ' - I eii . g . Miss Jennie i . 'igir * . and Mi * -s Olive Roland , vvith Bros , Richard ICvans , llerbeil Lin-. oed , Peicy G . Young , Will Edwards , and Walter George , under the direction of Bio . Willi- VVright , P . M ., P . P . G . Organist Middlesex .

Craft Masonry.

Bro . Mantell , W . M ., in proposing " The Oueen and the Craft , " referred to her Majesty ' s 60 years' reign , the celebration of which was going to be kept the following Tuesday—a great function , of which he could not tell them more than they already knew . In giving "The Health o £ the Prince of Wales , M . W . G . M ., " Bro . Mantell said many of the brethren present were at the Albert Hall the previous Monday , when the Prince of Wales presided , and tbey saw the interest he took in Freeimsonry , and what he could do to promote its interests .

The toastof "The M . W . Pro G . M . and thc rest of the Grand Ofiicers , Presentand Past , " drew from Hro . Mantell the observation that the Eatl of Lathom , Earl Amherst , and all the Grand Officers worked hard for the Order and to uphold its prestige , and the Citadel Lodge had now the honour of having many Grand Officers present , some of whom received past rank at the Albert Hall meeting , and were the newest of the Grand Officers . Brcs . John Mason and E . L . P . Valeriani were among these favoured brethren .

Bro . Ernest St . Clair , P . A . G . D . C , in acknowledging the toast , said if the brethren wanted to sea the Grand Officers at their best and in all their glory they should have attended on the 14 th lune at the Royal Albert Hall , where they mit in large numbers lo support his Royal Highness the Grand Master . If they wished to see the Grand Ofiicers without their gorgeous clothing , but where they vvere still happy and contented it vvas on an occasion like the present at tha festire board . Thsy vvere happy because

they were Masons , becauss they vvere in a good lodge , and because they were assembled to do honour to a good Mason and a go'id fello . v . It vvas only a few months ago that Bro . Mantell left the chair of Lodge La France , and during his year he gave the brethren of that lodge an immense amount of pleasure . Among those present that night , Bro . Sadler and himself ( Bro . St . Ciair ) headed the procession on Monday at the Albert Hall , and among those who received honours vvere Bros . Mason and Valeriani , and no two brethren were more worthy of the honour .

Bro . James Terry , Past Grand Sword Bearer , Secretary of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , vvho rose in compliance with a general demand for a speech , said that 10 years ago at _ a similar gathering to that of the 14 th June hc had the honour of receiving at his Royal Highness ' s hands the same compliment Bros . Mason and Valeriani received on Monday . To receive such a compliment was certainly a very grand distinction . Brethren vvho got those honours he said , without egotism , must have done good work , not as slaves , but as willing , free men , who had come forward whenever there was any service to be done for the Craft , in some cases [ where

they had to represent the Grand Master for the time being . That being so they vvere a kind of guide and assistance to the younger members of the Order , always to accept and to perform to the best of their power and ability the dufies of an office , whatever that ofiice might be . If there should happen to be a vacancy to be filled , the recollection of the services they had rendered voluntarily , and without hope of reward , would bear good fruit . He wns excepting himself , and only sketching out what a brother should do . The Grand Ofiicers , no doubt , had done good service . Bro . St . Clair was one ; but they hoped to do more . He would add that the Grand Officers , whether in the

character of Entered Apprentics , tFellow Crafts , Master Masons , Masters of lodges , or whether they changed the blue for the purple , it never changed their character , they were novv as in the past , brothers among all the brethren , and he hoped and trusted it would be so in all time to come , and that it would never be said that the Craft lost a brother's aid through his dignified position of a Grand Oflicer . He advised the brethren always to be natural and unaffected , and if they retained that character which they had previously to receiving Grand Ofiice , they would retain the esteem and affiction of all those with whom they were connected .

Bro . John Mason , P . G . Std . Br ., responded to the toastof "The Provincial Grand Master for Middlesex , Lord George Hamilton , M . P ., & c , " and said that for the last week he had been studying what fresh things he could say in his new character , so that he might not repeat the old speech he used to give 24 years ago . Yet he should never forget the kindness he had received in the Province of Middlesex ever since he had belonged to it . It was 23 years since the late Prov . CM ., Col . Burdett , gave him Grand Office , and the more he had seen of the Province of Middlesex tlie more he had loved it . It had now one of the brightest

gems to adorn the crown of Masonry in Lord George Hamilton a ^ its Prov . Grand Master . Ho knew of no brother of Lord George Hamilton ' s exalted rank who thought and did so much for . his province ; at the present time hc left nothing to be done in the province , 1 nless it had first been brought under his notice . He had a Deputy , but he did not forget that he himself was P . G . M ., and must be consulted . Two years ago , when he became Prov . G . M ., he served the Benevolent Institution as Chainninof its Festival , and the Province of Middlesex gathered around him , and there was not a drone in the

whole hive ; every ledge came forward to show the Prov . G . M . honour , and did their best to support him at the Festival . The Province of Middlesex shone . Why ? Because every lodge was represented . For the number of its lodges no other province , however great the number of its ledges or the number of its brethren , ever brought up so much at a Festival as the little Province cf Middlesex . That was enough to be proud of . Whatever he ( Bro . Mason ) might gain in life , he should never forget the happy moments he had had in the Province of Middlesex as one of its Grand Ofiicers , and in the name ot its Grind Officers he tendered the brethren his most hearty and grateful thanks .

Bro . T . I . Bird , P . M ., said , as the senior P . M . of tne lodge and the ssnior holder of Prov . Grand Rank , he stood there that night very proud indeed to answer to the toast of the Prov . G . Ollicers , fiom the Prov . Grand Masterto the lowest Grand Officer of the Ptc , \ wiC < i cf MuW . eseK . The Citadel Lodge had reason to thank the Prov . G . M . and his predecessor for the consideration that had been shown to it . It vvas now some 17 years ago that he had the pleasure ot approaching the Prov . G . M . to ask him to recommend a petition for a warrant for holding the Citadel Lodge , and Sir Francis Burdett very readily acceded to his request . Sir Francis himself came to consecrate it , and

from the small beginning—for it ically vvasa small beginning—he ( Bro . Biid ) vvas proud , as its senior P . M . and father , lo see that it had gone on until rt had produced such a balance-sheet as they had shown that day . From small beginnings the Citadel Lodge had risen , . and hc believed it would leave its mark on the province lor many years to come . lt had made its mark by good work in all directions . It had done wonders . Bros . Osborn and Lee had set themselves the task of advancing Masonry in that lodge , they had determined that the working of the ceremonies should be good , and that the lodge should do what it could for the Charities . That the lodge had done something

vvas clearly proved almost in the words which the Grand Standard Bearer had recentl y used , because in two years , through thc Citadel Charity Association , he was instrumental * in carrying up moie money when the Prov . G . M . presided than any other lodge . Its Steward took up a Iaiger sum than any oilier Steward ; and the other lodge of which he bad the honour of being a nicmbjr and Past Master twice over had the happiness of taking up the Jargest sum ever taken up in the Province of Middlesex . That result was mainly due to thc Citadel Charity Association . That association was now working towards its close , ln the course oi a lew months all the appropriations would have been macro and the money paid over to the Three Charities ; but in his

opinion that should not bc the last ot the associations in the Citadel Lodge , and when it was approaching its full maturity he , as Treasurer ot the Association , proposed to ask the brethren to form a second Citadel Charity Association to carry on the work . He had not said much with regard to the province , but as tbe oldest among the brethren hc thanked the W . M . for the terms in which the toast was proposed by him . lie wished Bio . Mantell the very happiest year the Citadel Lodge had ever had , and from the great popularity he enjoyed he lelt convinced Bro . Mantell would not leave the lodge at the end of iu ' s year of office in a worse position than he found it in when hc entered the chair , but would hand it over to his success ji * with more lustre than it had ever had before .

liro . W . L . Ball , LP . M ., in propoimg " Ihe W . M ., " said that it was as nearly as prssible 10 yeais ago when her Majesty was celebrating her jubilee liro . Mantell was being initiated in this lodge . Like her Most Graci 11 -: M ijesty ho tud seen another 10 years , and he had noi : * . experienced the Masonic happiness ot b-.-ing placed in therhair of his mother lodge * . Willi regard to his . Masonic capabilities he might say liro . Mantell had worked thiough cveiy oilice in tlie lodge without any filtering and had discharged his duties with credit lo him : elf and salii laetii . *) to the brethren . Helud shown his capabilities that evening , lie had received a most satisf ictory bjlinee sheet and no doubt by his genial heart , his methodical manner / and his great capabilities he would surrender his oilice in a better position even than it was now in .

liro . Mantell , P . M ., replying , said lie was initiated in the lodge 10 years ago—in IMS ?—the Jubilee 01 our ( Jueen . lie had no . v the honour of laking the chair in thc Diamond jubilee , and , by a strange coincidence , the number of the lodge and that of the year were the same—iSy ? . For him it was quite a red-letter day in his life , because , as the I . P . M . had said , they all felt very proud il ' they could attain the position of bein _ J