Table Of Contents.

TABLE OF CONTENTS .

R EPORTS OF MASONIC MEETINGS : — Craft Masonry , 591 Mark Masonry , 592 Red Cross of Constantine 592 Scotland 592 Freemasonry End Roman Catholicism , 593 Rome and Freemasonry 594 Our New Royal Grand Master 594 Royal Masonic Institution for Girls 594

Consecration of the Metropolitan Lodge , No . 1507 ... 594 Obituary 595 Lodge of Benevolence 595 Our Royal Grand Master 59 6 The Roman Catholic Press and Lord Ripon ..., vcgfi

CORRESPONDENCE : — Royal Visit to Plymouth 597 Lodge Meetings next week 599 Advertisements 5 8 9 590596 600601 602 603 604

Reports Of Masonic Meetings.

REPORTS OF MASONIC MEETINGS .

C-vaft ItitMitnL BURDETT COUTTS LODGE ( NO . 1278)—Thursday , 17 th ult ., was a high day among the members of this energetic young lodge ; it was the day of the year , the day for installing the Master to rule over the lodge during the succeeding twelve months , and the members made

the most of it , not only coming themselves , and coming in good time , but hailing their brethren from other lodges to come and witness their skill and ability . It is not every lodge that has the good fortune to possess so widely esteemed and munificent a patron as the Burdett Coutts

Lodge . The worthy Baroness , after whom the lodge is named , is not a patroness in name only , the de facto evidence of which will now be permanently before the lodge , in the shape of three very elegant Masonic chairs in wainscot , each elaborately wrought in the typical style

appropriate to its situation in the lodge , while the seats and arm pads , in green velvet , produce a pleasing contrast to the colour of the wood , and each chair bears , in addition , the arms of the Baroness emblazoned on it . The formal presentation of these chairs has not yet been

made , but it will take place shortly , as will be gathered from a letter which was read in the course of the evening from Col . Burdett , P . G . M . for Middlesex , when we have little doubt that the lodge will make the ceremony the occasion for a very high day indeed . The lodge is held

at the Approach Tavern , Approach-road , Victoria Park , where they occupy a very comfortable suite of rooms , and we could not but admire on Thursday the care which had evidently been taken with the preparation of the lodge room . The lodge met at three o ' clock ,

when the chair was taken by the W . M ., Bro . Joseph John Ashburner , supported by Bro , J . G . Harris , S . W ., W . M . elect ; Bro . W . J . Crutch , J . W . ; Bro . J . Terry , Treasurer ; Bro . S . Ward Verry , Secretary * Bro . W . Toye , S . D . * Bro . J . W . Hill , D . C ; Bro . C . K . Crouch .

I . G .: Bro . A . Lazarus , Stewatd ; and a large number of the brethren . Among the visitors were thc G . Secretary , Bro . John Hervey ; Bro . Buss , P . G . Treasurer for Middlesex * Bro . W . H . Coles , P . M . 2 , 3 ; Bro . R . Chitson , 1348 ; Bro . R . W . Leage , $ *;•Bro . Sims , 6 $ ; Bro .

J . Pinder , 1445 ; Bro . Jennings , Yarborough ; Bro . W . G . Kent , 1297 ; Bro . Cotter , 554 ; Bro . Morrison , 554 ; Bro . Home , P . M . 1445 ; Bro . Chanter , 832 ; and Bro . Davis , 959 . The musical arrangements were ably undertaken by Bro . Sedden , Org . 554 , 9 , 3 . 3 , and 174 . After the

confirmation of the minutes of the preceding meeting and the presentation of thc report of the Audit Committee , Bro . Isaac Davis was raised to the third degree , and Bros . Prestage and Sleap were passed to the second degree , both ceremonies being very ably performed by the W . M ., Bro . Ashburner . The business of

the lodge having been thus far disposed of , Bro . J . G . Harris , the S . W . of the past year , was presented by the immediate P . M ., Bro . Lloyd , to the W . M . for installation , and , having taken the customary obligations , a board of Installed Masters was formed , and Bro . Harris was presented and installed into the chair of K . S . ; and , after the brethren had returned to the lodge , he

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was proclaimed and saluted in the usual form , the whole ceremony being performed , and the customary address subsequently delivered by Bro . Ashburner in an admirable manner . The following is the list of officers appointed by the W . M .: —S . W ., Bro . W . J . Crutch ; J . W ., Bro . W . Toye ; Treasurer , Bro . J . Terry ; Secretary ,

Bro . G . W . Verry ( reappointed for the fifth time ); S . D ., Bro . C . K . Crouch , J . D ., Bro . J . W . Hill ; I . G ., Bro . A . Lazarus ; D . C , Bro .

W . T . Christian ; W . S ., Bro . M . Gross . A handsome Past Master ' s jewel , voted by the lodge , was presented to Bro . Ashburner b y the W . M ., who , in investing him with it , expressed the high appreciation in which the recipient was held by the whole of the members , and trusted

that he would live to enjoy his honours for many years to come . Bro . Ashburner having returned thanks , the Secretary , Bro . Verry , read a letter from Col . Burdett , Prov . Grand Master for Middlesex , regretting that his absence from town prevented his being present at this occasion ; but

stated that his return would take place in October , when he would immediately communicate with the Baroness and request her to rix as earl y a day as possible for the presentation of the chairs . The Secretary having read a number of letters , some announcing resignations of

members , and a much larger number of propositions for joining members , the business of the evening was brought to an end , when the lodge was closed in due form , and the brethren afterwards reassembled at the banquet table , and sat down to a sumptuous repast served by mine host

of the Approach Tavern . On the removal of the cloth the usual loyal and Masonic toasts were proposed . On the health of the Past Grand Master , the Prince of Wales , the Deputy Grand Master , the Earl of Carnarvon , and the rest of the Grand Officers Past and Present , being proposed ,

coupled with the name of Bro . John Hervey , Grand Secretary , the Consecrating Master of the lodge , Bro . Hervey , rose and said : Worshi pful Master , Bro . Wardens , and Brethren , I am afraid that I must interpose my dull notes instead of those exquisite tones which we have heard produced

by the manipulation of our Brother Organist , although I am sure you would rather listen to him than to me . But time is on the wing , and I will , therefore , at once thank you in the name of the Past Grand Officers for the cordial manner in which this toast has been proposed and

responded to . I am sure it must be a matter of regret that you have not been able to propose the health of the Grand Master of the Order . We have no right to make any comment upon the resignation of the Grand Master . ^ but of one thing I am sure , that it was a source of deep

regret to the Craft , deep regret to the Masonic world at large , when we found so [ excellent a Grand Master suddenly taken from us . When one who has been at the head of alFairs for a considerable time , and was so much acquainted with the requirements of his office , leaves us

we cannot look forward to the business of Freemasonry being carried on with the same aptitude as it has been carried on for some time past . I am sure that the brethren will treasure up glorious recollections of the Past Grand Master , the Marquis of Ripon , and deeply regret his

departure . For myself I must always regret it , because his knowledge and advice were a great assistance to me in the office that I have held for some time . And now , if I may venture to allude to myself , I would thank you for myself for the manner in which the toast has been

received . It has been my lot , although not a married man , to have a great many children ; and I have been visiting my various families for the last few days , and I am glad to see that they are all nourishing . It is , of course , Worshi p ful Master , very difficult when visiting lodges you

have consecrated at very short intervals to make speeches which will not trench one on another . Now I have been making speeches congratulating lodges 1 have consecrated very frequently lately on the progress they have made in a short time .

I congratulated Bro . Howe the other day for the manner in which his lodge had progressed under him in the year of his office , and 1 did but short justice to the members of the lodge for the manner in which they supported him . At the Mount Edgcumbe Lodge we sat down some

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seventy , —and I was squeezed into a very small space , though we managed to get on very well —and I congratulated that lodge on the success that had attended their exertions . The same thing happened only two evenings ago at the Doric Chapter , and the duty meets me again

this evening now that I am amongst you . It is now five years ago that the Burdett Coutts Lodge was launched into existence , and I can truly say to you—say it with all sincerity—that I am extremely glad to see such a congregation around the table as I see this night , and to see the good

working of the lodge , and I congratulate the Immediate Past Master on the way in which he installed his successor . Brethren , I am sorry that Col . Burdett is not here , to do as he has done—what he has uniformly done before—I am sorry that he is not here to return thanks for

the Grand Officers in the kindly and hearty manner which he has ; but if I cannot express myself in such glowing terms , I can be as sincere , and I thank you for the cordial manner in which the toast has been received . I am glad to see your prosperity , and I wish you every success in

the future . Bro . Ashburner , I . P . M .: Brethren , when you hear the sound of the gavel from this side of the chair , you know the toast that is to follow—that it is the health of your Master . It is a pleasing duty to me who have this evening attained to the dignity of a P . M ., to propose this

toast ; and I sincerely hope that our W . M . for the ensuing year will have as successful a term of office as I have had , not only in the numbers , but in the working , of the brethren . At the same time 1 congratulate the W . M . on being my immediate successor in this lodge . My Brother

Hervey has given a partial history of the lodge . He has mentioned having installed Bro . Terry , the first W . M ., into the chair , who , before we finish our evening ' s gratifications , will himself give you the history of the lodge . Bro . Ashburner went on to say , that the lodge was in a

very prosperous condition , and that though they were rather far east , and somewhat out of the immediate circle of metropolitan Freemasonry , there was no doubt , from the success they had had in the past , that they would continue to progress and flourish ; and that if the brethren

would support their present Worshipful Master as they had supported him ( Bro . Ashburner)—as he was sure they would do—there was no fear of Bro . Harris not having an equally successful year with that which the speaker had enjoyed . The Worship ful Master : I rise to return you thanks for the kind manner in which you have

drunk my health . I assure you that I shall perform the duties of my high position to the best of my ability , and if the officers and brethren will accord to me the same measure of assistance and support as they have given to my predecessor , I have no doubt that my year ' s office will be a very pleasant one . I thank you very much for the kind and cordial manner in whicli this toast

has been received , lhe next toast I have to propose is that of the Past Masters ' , and I will thank you to be up standing , and drink the health of Bro . Terry , Bro . Lloyd , and Bro . Ashburner . Bro . Ashburner : As your Immediate Past Master , I rise to thank you for the very kind manner

in which you have received the health of the Past Masters . I assure you I feel very proud of the position , so proud that I do do not know how to find words to express that pride . I thank you for thc very kind words spoken and the good feeling evinced on this occasion ; and I hope that

I shall see many of the brethren who are now travelling in the track that I have trod reach at last tho position of Masters and P .-ist Masters . During the past five years , circumstances unforeseen had compelled me to drop out of the lodge . I trust those cases have been to their benefit ,

I trust it has not been to their loss . I think we may take it that this is now one of the most successful lodges at this end of London . What we have done may have been by slow steps , but I trust we have found them sure , The speaker then adverted to the great success of the Prince

Leopold Lodge , commenting in terms of praise on the zeal and assiduity with which Bro . Howe had worked for that lodge . He trusted that their own lodge would maintain its position under their present Master , who was an operative as well as a specu-