Craft Masonry.

She moved among her people when the Summer ' s sun was high With strong true woman's nature glorified by every tie Of loving wife and mother too , and by her side there stood The one to whom all years to come , will cede the name " the good " No cloud in the heavens , scarce a shadow flecked the scene , For God had heard a people's prayer , " God save our gracious Queen . "

Autumn- She drove among her people when the Autumn leaves were brown , A brimming cup of cares and griefs had weighed her spirit down ; Past miles of beaming faces to the merchants' busy marts , She said , "I want no retinue ; my guard my people's hearts . " What one who saw can e'er forget that dignity serene , When tears welled up to choke the words "God save our noble Queen . "

Winter- She was borne amongst her people when the Winter ' s skies were low , The King of Kings had called her from a realm that loved her so ; For her 'twas _ but a passing to the dear ones gone before ; For us a glorious heritage—abiding evermore ! A nation's heart was throbbing to the drums' sad muffled roll , A whole world whispered , in its grief , the words "God rest her soul . "

And now he would pass on to that which should be quite the reverse— "The King and the Craft . " They did not know what their position at present was with regard to the King , but they had a Craft . They knew what the feelings of the King were to the Craft , and what they always had been . If he should retire from ruling over the Craft he would leave some one well qualified for the position . Public events had crowded upon us of recent months , and we hardly knew the position we were in . As Masons , they knew they were perfectly safe in the hands of such a son of such a mother . Bro . John H . Barnes , W . M ., in proposing "The Pro G . Master , Earl Amherst ; the Dep . G . Master , the Earl of Warwick ; and the rest of the G . Officers , Present and

Photo ly TraMIc ami Young , Urgent Sired W . Past . " made special reference to the Masonic Charities , which , he said , gave an answer to the question of what Masonry did . The boys and the girls of Masons were educated , housed , clothed , and fed , and the old and decayed spent their last days in comfort . The noblest part and the fundamental principle of it was its Charitable side . It was obvious that the amount of good that was done by Masonry could not be done without very great intellect , honourable intentions , and grand machinery * For that they Were

indebted to a large extent to the Officers of Grand Lodge , who worked con antore . Bro . Gen . Laurie having replied , . Bro . John Strachan , K . C ., G . Reg ., said when the Grand Officers were spoken of nffi ery selt ' entered the minds of those who drank the toast what a large body the G . Sf t ? were " Pas ' a"d Present , they were to be found in every department of the state , from the King on his throne to the House of Lords— 'the Lord Chancellor , the Jirst commoner of Enplane ! , the Commander-in-Chief , the Armv . Lord Kitchenerthe

, bench of Bishops , and throughout the church , in every department of life where £ ng ishrnen gathered together were to be found representatives of the Grand Lodge of England , which showed that Masonry was an institution that ought to be cherished by t li'I ? ° * ' f » reat empire . With regard to the question of what it was convenient to call " the Charities , " for want of a better word , they took care of their brethren , of ' . neir nephews and nieces , of sons and daughters of their deceased or needy brethren . The Dramatic profession was fairly represented among the Grand Officers . It was within ie

"recollection of all that the profession was very much better recognised now than it sel S ° ' ? . e years a S ° < n ° ' by reason of any change on the inside , not by the actors themcnMk u ause tney * ' keen a ' V self-respecting and worthy of the honour that ha F bestowed on them , but simply because of the misapprehensions of outsiders iwiT * v rem ° ved . The Pro Grand Master was no mere ornamental figure head , the YL an interest in everything he did . So did Lord Warwick . With regard to awn t eynac * a more easy time than they expected . At the present he was not •¦»*« . ¦ . burning question in any lodge in the world under the jurisdiction of Eng-»» na that called for the interference of Grand Lodge .

Craft Masonry.

Bros . Welch and Bernhardt responded to the toast of " The Initiates . " Bro . Thomas Catling , P . M . and Treas ., proposed in place of the I . P . M ., who had been obliged to leave early in the evening , " The Health of the W . M . " The brethren had been for some time rejoicing in an atmosphere beginning with the King on his Throne , associated with the Grand Officers in the I House of Lords and in the House of Commons , and the bench of Bishops ; but it was his pleasant and happy task to make the brethren come back to the origin of Drury Lodge to the precincts of this great

theatrical lodge , and to think for a moment of the association of themselves and the happiness of being presided over by a member of the theatrical profession . He congratulated the brethren _ on the prestige Bro . Barnes had bestowed upon the lodge by the manner in which he had taken the chair of K . S . They would understand that he was introducing to their notice the health of the W . M . Whether P . Ms ., officers , lay members , or the initiates , whatever might be their acquaintance with Freemasonry , they might congratulate the W . M . upon bringing to the chair

of the lodge a graceful presence , a happy attitude of filling it for himself , accepting no model , obeying no ritual in every particular , following no exact example , but investing the officers with words which instructed them in how they were to do their duty . With such a Master the prestige of the Drury Lane Lodge was assured . All the brethren wished him a very happy and successful year of office . They had confidence in him as a most earnest and sincere Mason , and those who knew him were aware that he had spared himself no effort to make himself a suitable Master .

Bro . Barnes , W . M ., in reply , said he believed he had been associated with the Drury Lane Theatre many years . He remembered being in "The Lady of the Lake , " in which he was received with a hearty shout of laughter on defying a certain super . He asked the brethren to act with him , so that when his year of office was over he might pass his gavel to the one ' . who was to succeed him pure and unsullied , and that the brethren might say , " It is well done . "

Bro . Sir H . Issacs , P . M ., proposed " The Health of the Installing Master , Bro Harry Nicholls , the life and soul of the Drury Lane Lodge . " Bro . Harry Nicholls responded .

As the W . M . had to leave , Bro . Thomas Catling took his place , and pioposed " The Visitors . " Bros . Manuel and Lestocq responded . Bros . Lablache ,. Coggins , and Ganz responded to the toast of "The Officers , " and the brethren then separated .

Instruction.

Instruction .

ISLINGTON LODGE , No . 1471 . The usual weekly meeting was held on Tuesday , the 12 th inst ., at the Cock Tavern , Highbury , when there were present : Bros . E . J . Harrison , P . M ., VV . M . ; E . P . Fischer , S . W . ; Dr . C . M . Simpson , J . W . ; W . Hancock , P . M ., Preceptor ; A . F . Hardyment , P . M ., Asst . Preceptor ; C . M . Coxon , P . M ., P . P . G . D . Herts , Treas . ; J . Duncan , P . M ., Sec ; A . E . Turner , S . D . ; C . Nicole , J . D . ; A . Noel , I . G . ; J . Birks , P . M . ; C . S . Hind , A . Hess , M . Cohen , W . E . Ranger , W . Lee , H . C . Kerly , C G . Zander , H . J . May , D . Meredew , and T . A . Spencer .

_ The lodge was opened , and the minutes read and confirmed . The ceremony of initiation was then rehearsed , Bro . Ranger being the candidate . The chair was then taken by Bro . Hancock , who rehearsed the ceremony of installation , Bro . Birks as M . elect . The officers were invested , and the addresses given . Bro . VV . E . Ranger was elected a member of the lodge . Bro . Fischer was elected W . M . for the ensuing week . The lodge was then closed . 4 _ BRO . DUKE AND DUCHESS OF PORTLAND arrived ia town , on Wednesday night from Welbeck Abbey .