Masonic Notes And Queries.

be every Masonic student in England , Germany , and America . Many thanks for his kind answer . G . WM . SPETH .

4 G 6 I THE BATTLE OF THE GRADES . The brother signing himself " The Third Degree " will oblige me by giving from Bro . Hunter ' s capital history of the " Lodge Journeymen " any extracts from the original records which give the " quietus to the monograde : theory , " understanding as I do by the term one degree prior to say 1717 . 1 believe there were three grades , but not separate degrees , prior to the period mentioned , and so do Lyon and Gould . W . J . HUGHAN . 467 ] ¦

" Third Degree" ( 461 ) hasbeen , I am afraid , misinformed . This is the one subject on which , so far , Bro . Gould and I have agreed to fundamentally differ . At our last interview I failed to convince him , and he , I believe , flatters himself ( wrongfully ) that he has shaken my convictions . His views

will no doubt be developed in the coming Vol . IV . ot his Op . Mag . ; mine , as I am very busy on other subjects , I hope to dilate on in a few months' time . Meanwhile , I say it in all humility , although it looks conceited , / agree with no one . G . VV . SPETH .

Reports Of Masonic Meetings.

REPORTS OF MASONIC MEETINGS .

( Craft j & asonrg * OLD FORTITUDE AND CUMBERLAND LODGE ( No . 12 ) . —This lodge met on Monday , the 1 st inst ., at the Ship and Turtle , Leadenhall-street . Present : Bros . VV . 1 . Bedell , VV . M . ; Georges Pigache , S . W . ; C . F . Peall , J . W . ; Dudley Rolls , P . M ., Treas . ; H . Snellgrove , P . M ., Sec , W . B . Kidder , P . M . ; R . Combs , Sidney Rolls , and Marsh , Tyler . Visitors : Bros .

Dr . Ramsay , P . M ., R . G . W . Middx . ; C . Barsane , W . M . 66 ; and J . E . Shand , P . M . Sec . 1563 and 2030 . Lodge was opened and the minutes of the previous meeting confirmed , and Bro . Nicholson was duly passed to the Second Degree . Bro . Georges Pigache , S . W ., was unanimously elected W . M . for the ensuing year , who expressed his sense of the great honour conferred in electing him as

W . M ., and expressed his regret that his father-in-law , Bro . D . Nicols , P . M ., was prevented by indisposition from attending , but hoped that he would be able to be with them at the installation meeting . Lodge was then closed , and the brethren adjourned to the banquet , after which some capital songs and recitations by Bros . Pigache , Kidder , and Peall brought a pleasant evening to a close .

STRONG MAN LODGE ( No . 45 ) . —A meeting was held on the 4 th inst ., at Masons' Hall , Tavern , Masons' Avenue , Basinghall-street . Present : Bros . John Smith , W . M . ; H . T . Nell , S . W . ; L . S . Fountaine , J . W . ; H . Follett , P . M . and Treas . ; John N . Heale , Sec . ; R . E . Hunt , S . D . ; H . J . Dean , Org . ; G . G . Symons , P . M . and D . C . ; F . C . Herbert , I . G . ; T . C . Cubbon , Stwd . ;

E . Mallett , Tyler ; F . W . Driver , M . A ., P . M . ; G . G . Symons , P . M . ; W . H . G . Ball , P . M . ; W . A . S . Humphin , P . M . ; Herbert , Bolt , Carter , Kelsey , King , Mace , Smethurst , Docwra , Liddall , Madan , Wood , Liddall , jun ., and Willats . Visitors : Bros . E . Snelling , 1 . S . Rutter , Hy . Lovegrove , W . G . Broad , and R . W . Willats . The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed , The ballot was taken for Messrs . W . H . Liddall and C . S .

Madan , which proved unanimous in their favour . These gentlemen , with Mr . L . Docwra , were then regularly initiated into the mysteries and privileges of Freemasonry according to ancient custom . Other business matters having been disposed of , the brethren sat down to an excellent repast provided by Bro . S . Wood . A most enjoyable evening was spent , enlivened by good songs from several of the brethren under the able management of the Organist , Bro . H . J . Dean .

LION AND LAMB LODGE ( No . 192 ) . —A meeting of this lodge was held on the 4 th inst ., at the Cannon-street Hotel , E . C . Present : Bros . H . Stevenson , W . M . ; B . Perkins , S . W . ; H . Medwin . J . W . ; H . Legge , P . M ., Treas . ; George Abbott , P . M ., Sec ; W . Dowland , S , D . ; Thomas Fisher , J . D . ; W . Williams , I . G . ; Thomas Cohu , P . M ., Stew . ; W . T . Dyer , T y ler ;

A . Gutter , A . G . Darnell , Ley , and Marke . Visitors : Bros . Gibbs , J . W . 1613 ; Reid , 1334 ; Bolton , J . W . 1314 ; Marsh , 29 ; McKay , W . M . 720 ; Cotton , 1613 ; and Burgess , 2048 . The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed . ¦ Bro . Marke was raised , and retired , when the lodge was opened in the Third Degreeand the said

, brother was raised to the Sublime Degree of a M . M . A letter was read from the Grand Secretary approving the recent alteration in Bye-law V ., increasing the lodge dues from three to four guineas per annum . There being no further business the lodge was closed in due form , when the brethren adjourned to banquet , and the usual Masonic toasts were honoured , and a pleasant evening spent .

UBIQUE LODGE ( No . 1789 ) . —A meeting was held on Friday , the 21 st ult ., at the Crown and Anchor , 70 , Ebury-street . Present : Bros . Luckhurst , W . M . ; Wade , P . M ., S . W . ; Gibson , J . W . ; Boulton , P . M ., Preceptor ; Capt . Butterworth , Treas . ; P . Coughlan , Sec ; Green , sen ., S . D . ; C . White , P . M ., J . D . ; Glover , I . G . ; Wray , P . M . ; Ascott , P . M . ; Hume , McCullagh ,

Green , jun ., Stephens , Taylor , J . Purnell , and Bessell . The lodge was opened in due form , and the minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed . Bro . Taylor being a candidate for the Third Degree answered the usual questions , was entrusted , and the ceremony of raising was

rehearsed . The Preceptor , assisted By Bro . Wray , P . M ., worked the 1 st Section of this Lecture . Bros . Boulton , P . M ., J . Gibson , and P . Coughlan were unanimously elected as Preceptor , Treasurer , and Secretary for the ensuingyear ; and Bros . Wade , P . M . ; Green , sen . ; and J . Glover , were elected as a Committee to audit the accounts . These brethren having replied , the W . M . rose

Reports Of Masonic Meetings.

for the first time , and Bro . Bessell , 21 S ( I . C . ) , was unanimously elected a joining member . Bro . Bessell having replied , the VV . M . rose for the second time , and Bro . Wade , S . W ., was unanimously elected W . M . for the ensuing week . It was also proposed , seconded , and unanimously carried that a vote of thanks be recor ded on the minutes to Bro . Luckhurst for the very able and efficient manner in which he had discharged the duties of W . M .

for the first time in this lodge . The VV . M . having replied , and nothing further offering , the lodge was closed in perfect harmony . A meeting of the above lodge was held on the 2 Sth ult ., at the Crown and Anchor , 79 , Ebury-street . Present : Bros . Wade , W . M . ; Gibson , Treas ., S . W . ; Green , sen ., J . W . ; P . Caughlan , Sec ; Glover , S . D . ; A . Hayes , J . D . ; Taylor , I . G . ; C . White , P . M . ; F . Purnell , and

King . The lodge was opened in due form , and the minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed . The report of the Audit Committee was then received and adopted . The ceremony of initiation , was rehearsed , Bro . Glover , candidate . The lodge was opened in the Second Degree . Bro .

Purnell , a candidate to be raised to the Third Degree , answered the usual questions and was entrusted . The lodge was opened in the Third Degree . The ceremony of raising was then rehearsed , Bro . Purnell , candidate . Bro . Gibson was unanimously elected VV . M . for the ensuing week . Nothing further offering , the lodge was closed .

CHISWICK LODGE ( No . 2012 ) . —A meeting was held on Monday , the Sth inst ., at the Bolton Hotel , Duke-road , when there were present Bros . Geo . Everett , P . M ., P . Z ., W . M . ; Chas . Everett , S . W . ; George Gardner , J . W . ; F . Lawrence , P . M ., P . Z ., M . D ., Treas . ; H . Price , Sec . ; R . Harvey , S . D . ; J . Sadler Wood , J . D . ; W . Gomm , D . C ; H . Furze , lacting I . G . ; Ricehlman , Org . ; Broad , Tyler ; J . Welch , E . Bayly , J . Brown , C . Notley , C .

Coward , C . Packer , H . Fruen , J . H . D . Meyer , C . Hopkins , A . H . Strong , R . Wimpey , and . C . Hughes . Bros . Smither and Brittain were present as visitors . The minutes of the previous meeting having been read and confirmed , a ballot was taken , which proved unanimous , in favour of a joining brother . Bros . Packer and Meyer were passed to the Second Degree , and Bro . Notley raised to the Sublime Degree of a M . M ., both ceremonies

being performedin the W . M . 's well-known efficient manner . This being election night , the brethren unanimously voted the S . W . to fill the chair as Worshipful Master for the ensuing 12 months . Bro . F . Lawrence , the Treasurer , was re-elected , and Bro . Broad appointed as Tyler . Auditors were then elected , and the Audit meeting fixed for the 29 th inst . Bro . Geo . Gardner then rose and proposed that a Past Master ' s jewel be presented to the outgoing

Master , at the same time expressing the great satisfaction the brethren must feel at having had the valuable services of so well-known and efficient an officer to govern and assist them during the first year of their existence , which was seconded by Bro . C . Everett , and cordially received and agreed to . Bro . G . Gardner , J . W ., then announced that he had given his name as Steward for the Benevolent

Institution , and he should be pleased to represent the lodge ; he was unanimously voted to do so . Nothing further offering for the good of Freemasonry , the lodge was closed , and the brethren proceeded to the banquet , which was enlivened by excellent vocal and instrumental music by Bros . Furze , Brown , Smither , and others , and thus ended one of the pleasantest evenings this lodge has ever held , and augurs well for the future . ——

-ABBEY LODGE ( No . 2030 ) . —The ordinary December meeting of this lodge was held on Monday , at the Town Hall , Westminster , under the presidency of Bro . W . Burdett-Coutts ,-W . M . The attendance of members of the lodge and visitors was very large , there being some 80 brethren present . All three ceremonies were on the business paper for performance . The lodge met punctually , and was immediately opened , and the W . M . at once

commenced his work after reading and confirmation of the minutes . Bros . Talbot , Davies , Dexter , Dick , and Holland were raised to the Third Degree ; Bros . J . E . Smith , H . H . Bridgeman , and Z . A . Berry were passed to the Second Degree ; and Messrs . Sydney Hodges , Alfred Walter Hillier , and George White were initiated . Bro . Spinks , who during the W . M . 's first year is acting as Past Master , afterwards stated that the City of

Westminster Lodge had invited the Master and officers of the Abbey Lodge to the installation meeting of the City of Westminster Lodge , and he said he believed this was the first time that this brotherly and friendly act had been performed by an English lodge . He hailed the advent of such a custom with the greatest delight , as he thought it would lead to the binding together of lodges and brethren even closer than they were before , and he could assure the

brethren of the City of Westminster Lodge that the officers of that lodge would be invited to the next installation meeting of the Abbey Lodge . The Worshipful Master next introduced the subject of a Stewardship of the Abbey Lodge for the next Festival of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , but after some little discussion an understanding was arrived at that the lodge should take up only one Institution for a year . The

W . M . was Steward for the Girls' School last year , and for the Boys' School this year . The brethren before the lodge was closed , on the motion of the S . W ., seconded by Bro . Spinks , voted two guineas to the Christmas entertainment of the annuitants in the Benevolent Institution at Croydon . The lodge was afterwards closed , and the brethren adjourned to the large hall , where a splendid banquet provided by Bros . Bertram and Roberts awaited them . The

customary toasts followed . The Rev . R . J . Simpson , P . G . C ., responded for "The Grand Officers , " and said he looked forward to the time when Bro . Burdett-Coutts would take his place in Grand Lodge , which he had not done as yet , being so few years a Mason . He hoped to see him taking a prominent part in the proceedings of Grand Lodge . When he did he would Dersonally appreciate Lord Carnarvon and Lord Lathom .

If Grand Lodge had been present that evening it would have been pleased with the working of the Abbey Lodge . From the W . M . downwards all the officers did their work well , and if all lodges did the same it would tend to raise the Craft to the high degree of excellence and power which itought to maintain . This was really being done b y the lodges quietly and unobtrusively , and it reminded him of the building of King Solomon's temple , which was done without noise of instruments or iron , as was described by Heber—

Reports Of Masonic Meetings.

No hammer fell , no ponderous axes rung ; Like a tall palm the mystic fabric sprung . Bro . Spinks proposed " The VV . M ., " and said every one must acknowled ge the excellence cf the style of the Worshipful Master in the delivery of the ritual . They had all reason to beproud of their Worshipful Master , both for his work and for the way he carried out that

Masonic duty—Charity—the corner stone of the . fabric , the blight jewel that adorned the whole erection . He was sure Bro . Burdett-Coutts was proud of being Master of the lodge . Nobody could possibly help being proud of being first Master of a lodge whose success was without example in the history of Metropolitan lodges or in the wide range of English Freemasonry . Having had less than a

twelvemonth s existence it had 55 or 56 members ; the'W . M . had initiated 24 or 25 ; raised and passed 23 or 24 . The Worshipful Master , in reply , said it was extremely difficult for him to express the great feelings of appreciation he had of the way in which his name had been received by the brethren . He hoped the working would always be a great object in the lodge . It had been a certain

amount of labour to him to get it up , for which he did not take to himself any credit ; but he advanced it as a proof of his love of the work , and his respect for the institution . He was very much indebted to his officers , because the greater part of the excellence of the work was effected by them . With respect to Masonic Charity , the lodge had done well , and the contributions to his list as Steward for the Girls '

School were most hearty and loyal . He was proud to reflect upon the extraordinary success of the lodge which had been referred to by Bro . Spinks . Although it was not unprecedented , it was unusual , and he did not know to what to attribute it , except to the fact that in Westminster there was a combination of circumstances which showed there was a necessity for such a lodge . This had been proved by the

fact of such a large number of brethren wishing to join , and of gentlemen wishing to be initiated . He hoped he would be excused if he ventured to think that the name he bore had to a certain extent created a prejudice in favour of the lodge . He was sorry to have been absent from the last meeting of the lodge , and he was grateful to Bro . Spinks for having then done his work . He ( the VV . M . ) was

then in Ireland with the Baroness Burdett-Coutts , and the visit was interesting for many reasons . The Baroness had long before been connected with Ireland by her good works . On this , their first visit to that country , he was glad to say the Baroness was received , even in those parts-with which she had not been personally connected , most cordially . When they went down to the south-west , through a bleak

and Atlantic-beaten coast , which stood like a sentinel facing towards the west , nothing but 3000 miles of the ocean between it and America , the Baroness met with a reception which was one of the most extraordinary things he had ever seen . He had seen her received in London by crowds stretching from Piccadilly to St . Paul's with one continuous shouting and cheering , by a provincial town in

the North , with 100 , 000 cheering ; but that was nothing to the warmth and enthusiasm and devotion which was shown by those wild , uncouth inhabitants of the south-west ot Ireland . There was certainly a cause for it , for four or five years ago she set on foot a system of assisting the people . Off the coast was an enormous quantity of mackerel , which vessels from

England , Scotland , and France were sent to catch . These vessels took the fish , which were really a fortune , and the inhabitants of the Irish coasts of which we were speaking , rough , hard y , and brave men , were compelled year after year up to five years ago to sit idly looking on at these foreigners taking away the harvest of the sea because they had no boats to go out to sea in . The Baroness

started a system of providing them with boats on strictly commercial principles . The consequence was that a town that seven or eight years ago was in an extremely destitute condition was now practically on the high road to pros perity . Companies had sprung up ; fishermen had themselves in that short space of time been able to make sufficient money to improve their dwellings and buy lands , and

also to buy boats for themselves . Yet all the time they had done this they had been absolutely scrupulous in paying back their loans , and at the present time there was not a single £ 5 note outstanding . The W . M . then proceeded to say that he hoped the lod ge would cherish the

traditions ot the L-ratt and those feelings of social sympathy which seemed to him the most charming element in these meetings . He again appealed to the brethren to support the Charities . The other toasts of "The Initiates , " " The Visitors , " "The Treasurer and Secretary , " "The Officers , " and the Tyler ' s toast followed .

CHICHESTER . —Lodge of Union ( No . 38 ) . — A meeting was held on the 4 th inst . at the Council Chamber , when there were present Bros . Oliver Lloyd , W . M . ; Lord Algernon Gordon Lennox , S . W . ; Barrett , J . W . ; Rev . H . M . Davey , P . M ., P . P . G . C , Chap . ; J . St . Clair , P . M ., P . P . G . J . W ., Treas . ; J . H . Hawes , Sec ; H . E . Breach , S . D . ; G . C . Inkpen , J . D . ; G . Smith , P . M ., P . P . G . D ., D . C . ; W . Doman , I . G . ; Beatson , Tyler ;

the Earl of March and Kincarn , M . P ., P . M ., P . G . W . ; R . G . Raper , P . M ., P . P . G . J . W . ; O . N . Wyatt , P . M ., P . P . G . S . of W . ; J . M . Percival , P . M . ; F . W . Gruggen , P . M ., Prov . G . Stwd . ; H . Heather , A . Swann , E . F . Gower , G . Kemp , G . Turner , John Fielden , T . Partington , and C . F . Charge . Visitors : Bros . C . Yule , P . P . G . Org . Oxon ; A . Lambert , P . P . G . Org . Lincoln ; and H . R . Law , 90 S .

Mr . H . H . Moore having been unanimously accepted , was initiated into Freemasonry . The brethren being called on to appoint a Steward to represent the lodge at the coming Festival of the Girls' School , at which the Prov . G . M . for Sussex , R . W . Bro . Sir VV . W . Burrell , Bart ., M . P ., will preside , Bro . Raper , P . M ., P . P . G . J . W ., was unanimousl y requested to act . Labour being ended , the brethren , at the invitation of the W . M ., adjourned for refreshment .

SUNDERLAND . —Phcenix Lodge ( No . 94 ) . — On Wednesday , the 3 rd inst ., the installation meeting of this lodge was held at the Freemasons' Hall . The W . M ., Bro . John Dixon , presided , and was supported by the following visitors and others : Bros . J . Potts , P . P . G . D . ; M .

1-rampton , P . P . G . S . B . ; A . T . Muuro , P . P . G . S . B . ; T . Binks , W . M . 240 ; J . H . Morton , P . M . 240 ; J . E . Nelson , VV . M . 80 ; J . H . Leech , P . M . 97 ; J . J . Clay , P . G . D . D . C . ; W . M . Bell , P . P . G . A . D . C . Northumberland ; J . C . Moor , P . G . J . D . ; J . Deans , J . W . 2039 ; H . Simpson , J . D . 949 ; J . Riseborough , P . P . G . P . ; J . G . Kirtley ,