Table Of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

R EPORTS OF M ASONIC MEETINGS : —¦ Craft Masonry 87 RoyalArch 8 9 Mark Masonry 8 g Knights Templar 9 ° Grand Lodge of Scotland 90 Provincial Grand Lodge of Devonshire 90

Masonic Presentation at Lowestoft .. ; 9 < Aids toStudy 02 The House of Bonaparte and Freemasonry 93 Masonic Notes and Queries 94 CORRESPONDENCE : — That Bright Morning Star 95

Status of Past Masters 95 Immediate Past Masters 95 Masonic Tidings 95 Consecration of the Era Lodge , No . 1423 , 9 6 Masonic Meetings for next week 9 6 Advertisements 85 , 86 , 92 , 97 , 9 8 , 99 , 100

Reports Of Masonic Meetings.

REPORTS OF MASONIC MEETINGS .

Craft Utasonvg . WINCHESTER . —Lodge of CEcononiy ( No 76 ) . ¦ —It is , no doubt , gratifying to every Freemason to learn of the continued progress of the Craft srenerallv . but when that progress has been

marked , has it has been marked in the present instance , within the area of his own lodge , the gratification is necessarily much increased . For some reason or other there had been a

temporary decline of prosperity attending the Winchester Lodge , or Lodge of Giconomy . This , however , can be asserted with truth no longer . During the past twelve months the lodge has gone forward with a healthy bound , and there is every sign of continued antl continuous

prosperity on every hand . Under such circumstances the saying of the word " Farewell 1 " to the late W . M ., who had steered his bark so successfully during his period of oilice , and the utteting of the word ' " Welcome ! " to a new W . M ., into whose hands should be confided

the great interests of its members , was naturally a subject of important concern to all the members of the iodge . But the W . AL , iiiro . E . Snelling , had fulfilled , and ably fulfilled , the term for which he was elected , and when it was found , therefore , that a gentlemen so eligible as

Bro . Capt J . C . Moore was willing to accept that responsible office , the news was received with great pleasure by ever ) ' member and his unanimous election rendered sure . The installation of the new W . M . was , therefore , fixed for Wednesday last , and for the grand ceremony

great preparations had been made . The skill of Bro . Lumsden , of Sussex-street , was called into exercise to decorate the assembly room , and a new dwarf platform was erected . The result is that the room , which has been painted with French and continental tints , of very chaste

design —( a fashion which is now becoming extremel y in vogue ) is now one of the most handsome assembly rooms in the country , Bro , Capt . Moore having been ( we understand ) one of the active agents in assisting to produce such satisfactory results . The decorations on

the walls and the paraphernalia of the lodge have all likewise undergone complete restoration . There was a large number of brethren present on this interesting occasion , some of whom came from Basingstoke , Southampton , Portsmouth , and other localities . The ceremonv of

installation on Wednesday was preceded by the raising of Bro . W . C . Powell . The preliminary ceremonial was performed by the W . M ., Bro . Snelling , but the remainder of the working was undertaken and carried out in admirable style by Bro . P . M . Harris . Bro . Buttifant ( Alton )

presided at the harmonium , and effectively rendered the musical portion of the ceremony . The installation of Bro . Capt . Moore into the chair of W . M . by the Right Worshipful Bro . W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., I ' rov . G . M . Hants and Jsle

of Wi ght , followed . He was accompanied ( b y invitation from the lodge ) by the Grantl Treasurer , Secretaries , and officers of the Provincial Grantl Lodge , and the ceremony acquired additional interest and importance from the easy eloquence of the officiating Prov . G . M . The customary

Reports Of Masonic Meetings.

ceremonies were of a very impressive character . At their completion , the new W . M . appointed the following brethren as his officers for the ensuing year : —Bros . King , S . W . : Salter , J . W . : Sheppard , Treas . ; Stopher , Sec . ; Higgate , S . D . ; Buvclwtt , J . D .- , Way , I . G .: Everett , D . C ; E .

Snelling , A . D . C . ; Buttifant , Org . ; Naish and Whale , Stewards ; Sims , Ty ler . The lodge , which had been opened at two p . m ., was closed at about five p . m ., and the members of the Craft then adjourned to the Royal Hotel , where n banquet , prepared by Bro . Spriggs , and well served by him , awaited them . They were joined by

several other brethren amongst them Bros . Binckes , Secretary of the Boys' Masonic Institution at Wood Green , and W . Best , of Winchester . At the close of the banquet , which was presided over by the W . M ., Bro . Moore , a few toasts were g iven from the chair , among them " The Queen and the Craft . " " The Prince of Wales and the

P . G . M , " "The M . W . G . M ., the Marquis of Ripon , " " The V . W . Deputy G . M ., Lord Carnarvon , and Officers of Grand Lodge / ' and the <• • Prov . G . M ., W . W . B . Beach , M . P . ( also Installing Master ) . '' The whole of the toasts were ably given and enthusiasticall y received .

PLYMOUTH . —Harniom / Lodge ( Wo . i-jo ) . —To celebrate the festival of St . John , Lodge "Harmony" held a banquet at Bro . Thomas ' s , Great Western Hotel , last ni ght , when a large number of brethren sat down to an excellent repast .

Among those present were the Worshipful Bros . W . T . Pilditch , W . M . ( presiding ) ; H . F . Hearle , I . P . M . ; W . Trip lett , W . M . 12- ; , ; G . Stentiford , W . M . n- , 9 ; S . Kelton , " l . P . M . 1249 J . Manning , S . W . ; F . Hall , J . W . ; R . R . Ellis ,

P . M . ; J . Watts , P . M ., P . P . G . T . ; W . K . Mitchell , P . M ., P . P . G . A . D . C . ; T . A . Yeo , P . M . ; J . Kessell , P . M . ; C . Stribling , W . M . 70 ; R . Andrews . P . M . 70 ; W . Williams , I . P . M . 105 ; Pearce , D . C . J 255 ; W . S . Heartier , Organist , lO s ;; J . Rendle , J . W . 1247 ; R . Miller , 1071 ;

N . IL Westcott , 1247 ; Cooksley , D . C . 202 Ii . Htisson , S . S . 70 ; D . Box , | . D . 156 ; Ci Lewis , D . C . \ -fi ; Ferguson , W . Ford , W Murphy , Clutteibuck , Gould , Rev . W . Whit tley , Staddon , Lucas , Connor , White , Landei Campbell , Winiieatt , Thome , I . G . 1 rft , etc ., Jtc

The Worship ful Bro . W . T . Pilditch , W . M ., read letters received from the P . G . M ., D . P . G . M ., ami llr . Latimer , P . P . G . Sec , apologising for not being present . After ample justice had been done to the repast , anil the cloth removed , the usual loyal and Masonic toasts were given and

responded to , the musical responses being effectivel y led b y Br . Hearder , Organist 105 . During the very pleasant evening that was passetl , Bros . Hearder , Rendle , Hussen , Andrews , anil others rendered with good effect several songs ; and Br . Yeo , P . M ., gave a dramatic recitation in

capital style . The Rev . Bro . W . Whittley delivered an excellent oration on the grand principles of Masonry , as seen individuall y and socially , claiming for them an eminence second only to that of the Divine institution of Christianity , expressing his conviction they would yet win the

confidence of the world at large . The health ol the host ( Uro . Thomas ) and the hostess was enthusiastically drunk , and great satisfaction expressed at the catering of the banquet . After a most p leasant evening , the brethren broke up at an early hour . — Il'cslcin Dai / i / Mercuni .

PLYMOUTH . —Lodge Sincerit y ( No . lSy . ) — The festival of St . John was celebrated b y Lodge Sincerity , No . jSy , last evening , by an excellent banquet at the Duke of Cornwall Hotel , Plymouth , the Lodge being favoured with the presence of both the P . G . M . and the D . P . G . M .

The company numbered about fifty , and was under the presidency of the W . Bro . T . W . Collin , W . M ., and he was supported by the following brethren of the Lodge : —I . Latimer , S . W . ; M . Coates , J . W . ; T . S . Bayly , P . M ., P . P . G . T ., Treas ; R . H . Rae , P . M ., P . G . D . ; S . Mulchings , S . D . ; J . E . Curteis , J . D . ; G . Jackson , D . C ;

G . Mair . LG . ; A . Latimer . S .,- T . W . How , S . ; J . Moon , O . ; P . M . ' s R . Dowee , L . P . Me-tham , D . P . G . M . ; J . Trickett , F . Balkwi-ll , I ! . Richards , J . Sadler , [ . Danipncy ; Brs . K . Bisser , J . ( J . Wall , Rev . T . W . Lemon , W . Monkhotise , W . Lister , and W . W . Stevens . With a few well chosen words the W . M . proposed " The Queen , "

Reports Of Masonic Meetings.

"H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , P . G . M . "—an acquisition to the craft , and working hard and indefatigably in furthering Freemasonry—and "R . W . the Marquis of Ripon , G . M . of England "—a worth y success or to Earl Zeatland , whose retirement was universally regretted . The W . M havinsr announced that the Earl of Mount

Edge umbo and Lord Eliot had written expressing regret at being unable to attend , and that Admiral the Hon . Sir Henry Keppel and Genera ! Sir Charles Staveley were kept away by official duties , gave "The R . W . the Rev . J .

Huyshe , M . A ., P . G . M . of Devon , " and the toast was received with most hearty applause . Though embarrassed by the intensity of his regard for the P . G . M ., and by his presence , the W . M . was bound to say that there was an amount of love and regard shown for their R . W . Bros .

which was unsurpassed —( hear hear ) . Right g lad were they to welcome him that evening —( applause)—and they regretted that in his circular on the masonic charities , he expressed his belief that never again would he fill the office of Steward . They fervently hoped this would not be the case , and that " Lodge Sincerity "

would be able for many years to greet him at their banquets —( loud applause ) . The R . W . the Rev . J . Huyshe , made a feeling response . It was impossible , he said , for a man always to go on working hard , and he had had a fair share of it ; so that it was highly improbable that he should ever atrain he a Steward for the charities .

The response made in the Province , especially be the Grand Lodge , was a noble one , and he thanked them most cordially for it on behalf of the institutions whose merits they so greatly appreciated —( hear , hear ) . As to the welcome afforded him on this occasion , as on every

occasion he visited Plymouth , he could only use a stereotyped phrase and say he heartil y thanked them for it . Upon a subject which weig hed with some anxiety on his mind he desired to say a few words . A good many years ago a hig hly meritorious Mason , Captain Grey Clarke—the

predecessor of the G . S . —made use ol a very singular expression to him . They were talking upon that all engrossing subject to Masonstheir charities—when Captain Clarke said , " I look with some apprehension to the great charities which are being promoted by Freemasons , because . I am afraid that the time will come

when these charities will cause a great rush of candidates , and Freemasonry degenerate into a a large benefit society . " He did not accord with that view at the time , but the longer he lived the more he saw there was danger of that occuring which Captain Clarke predicted . There

was an immense rush of candidates already , and the numbers had increased from 4 , 000 and 5 , 000 yearly to 7 , 000 and 8 , 000 . He was present at the Committee of the Masonic Institution when it was resolved to increase the annuities to Freemasons from . - £ ' 21 ; to : Q ? , t > , and

since then the allowance to widows had been increased by £ " ,- Here was a still further inducement for candidates to rush in with the idea that they mi g ht possibly become recipients of these great charities . It was always difficult to preserve quality against quantity , but in Lancashire they initiated many persons who ought not

to be members . But the great question still was : How could they prevent the introduction of men totall y unfitted to be Masons at all . He onl y knew of one plan . On the last occasion of consecrating a new lodge at Torquay , he cautioned the Master to be careful whom he initiated , to keep the lodge select , and that the way to do this was to have a large initiation fee . The Master had

taken the hint , and promised to make it one of the best lodges in the Province . The present minimum fee of three guineas allowed by the Grand Lodge was much too small , and he should use his endeavours to get it increased . ( Hear , hear ) . The G . M . then proposed "The W . M .

of Sincerity , " speaking of the lolge as one of the most efficient in the Province , and Bro . Coffin as one able and determined to uphold its prestige ( applause ) . W . liro . Co / lin , responded , and in eulogistic terms , proposed " The R . W . Bro . L ,

V . Meiham , P . G . D ., I ) . P . G . M . of Devon , " a P . M . of Sincerity , R . W . Bro . Metham , acknowledged a very cordial reception of the toast . After speaking in high terms of Lodge Sincerity , the D . P . G . M . proposed " The R . W . the Ri ght