Ladies' Night At Lodge La Tolerance, No. 538.

LADIES' NIGHT AT LODGE LA TOLERANCE , No . 538 .

This most hospitable lodge had a ladies' night on Thursday / the 7 th inst ., under the presidency of Bro . William G . Fenn , VV . M . The last meeting of the kind was held in 18 S 7 , when Bro . Burt was Master , and on this occasion , as on the former , the energy and geniality of the Master ,

backed by the cordial co-operation of the rr . embers of the lodge , produced an entertainment seldom equalled even in Masonic assemblies . From beginning to end it was a brilliant success , and from end to end there was not a sign of fatigue shown by the entertainers , though their undertaking must necessarily have involved a great amount of really hard work . As early as four o'clock , a meeting of

the lodge was held at Freemasons Hall , which was not merely a formal affair , for at that meeting two candidates were initiated . By a quarter past six Bro . Fenn and the brethren of the lodge were ready in one of the drawing rooms of Freemasons' Tavern to receive the brethren and ladies , who arrived in quick succession , and by 6 . 30 the room was crowded with an animated assembly of " fair

women and brave men " in all the glory of pretty ball dresses and Masonic clothing and jewellery . Dinner being announced , the W . M . and his lady led the way to the cupola room , where the abundant hospitality of the lodge was displayed in a choice banquet , which this lodge appears to be particularly happy in arranging , and which was admirably served by Messrs . Spiers and Pond . Orchid blossoms and the choicest of half-opened roses were

presented to each lady present . It is needless to say that the guests thoroughly enjoyed this portion of the entertainment , the zest of which was enhanced by the geniality of the presiding Master , who was ably supported by his officers p . nd the Past Masters . During the progress of the dinner , Bro . C . Saunders' band performed an excellent programme of music in an adjoining room . Some loyal and Masonic toasts were proposed by the W . M .

The toasts of" The Queen and the Craft" and " H . R . H . the Prince of Wales ^ M . W . G . M ., " having been duly honoured , The CHAIRMAN proceeded to propose "The Health of the Pro G . M ., the Dep . G . M ., and the rest of the Grand Officers , Present and Past , " with whom he coupled the name of their own Treasurer , Bro . Kench , P . M ., P . G . P ., who replied very briefly , because of the special nature of

the occasion . The CHAIRMAN then rose and said that the next toast he had to propose was that which he adored— "The Ladies . " They were honoured with the presence of many ladies that evening ; it was a ladies' night , in every sense of the word , and he and the brethren of Lodge La Tolerance were delighted to receive them , and hoped that they should have

the pleasure of seeing them on many similar occasions . By the courtesy of the M . W . G . M ., the Prince of VVales , they had had a dispensation enabling them to dine in Masonic clothing . The ladies , therefore , saw the brethren now as they were when they left their fair ones in the cosy arm chairs by the fire side , and wandered away into the starry night . It was a great

courtesy on the part of Grand Lodge to grant them the dispensation they had obtained , and he was sure that the ladies would receive it in the kind way in which it was received by the brethren of the lodge . He felt sure from what they saw of the ladies on this occasion , that if they could only join the Brotherhood , the lodge would soon become triple its present size . Unable , however , to become

" brothers among them , " they had honoured the brethren with their presence on this auspicious occasion ; and as he had said before , he and the brethren were delighted to receive them . He called upon Bro . Pittman to respond for the ladies . The toast was drunk in the most hearty and enthusiastic manner ; andBro . J . J . PITTMAN rose to reply . Hesaidthat

he rose with a very great deal of pleasure to respond to the toast of the ladies , which the W . M ., Bro . Fenn , had so ably proposed ; but though he had much pleasure in performing this task , it would be admitted that he was also beset with some difficulty . It was much easier for a lady to take the part of a gentleman than for a gentleman to take the part of a lady . But when he saw so many smiling

faces around him he was encouraged to assume the role of a lady responding . Bro . Pittman then proceeded : We are here to-night with a great deal of pleasure . It is only necessary for the W . M . of the La Tolerance Lodge to invite us , and for the lodge to back him up , and we shall always be ready to come and dine with you on any future occasion . I have not the least doubt in my mind , when 1

see so many Masonic faces among the ladies about me at present , that if it were the rule of the Craft to admit ladies , we should have every lady present coming forward to be initiated into your Craft . I thank you very cordially , on the ladies' behalf , for the kind way in which you have proposed the toast , and I say on their behalf that we are very pleased to be here , and we hope it will not be the last time

that we shall have the oppoitunity of being present at a ladies' meeting of Lodge La Tolerance . Bro . THOS . BICKNELL , l . P . M ., next rose and proposed 'The Health of the W . M . " The ladies of course knew , and the , brethren knew , that this toast was always very cordially received among Freemasons , and he was sure that it would be received with the greatest enthusiasm for the

very able manner in which he had performed , as he might say , the duties of chairman of the proceedings that evening . The CHAIRMAN , on rising to respond , was greeted with prolonged applause . He thanked the ladies and the brethren from the bottom of his heart for the kind and cordial manner in which they had received the toast of his health .

It was a very great pleasure to him to preside over the proceedings of that evening , which he had been looking forward to for a considerable time , and it was with very great satisfaction to him , and he was pleased to find so many there at his festive board . He could not say , as host , that he should have the pleasure of seeing them there again as Master , but he did feel a deep sense of gratitude

for the very kind way in which the ladies had come at his invitation and the invitation of the lodge . The CHAIRMAN said that the next toast he had to propose was that of "The Visitors . " They had many visitors present that evening whom they were always very pleased and happy to see , and he hoped that those who had not been there before , they should have the pleasure of seeing again . In Lodge La Tolerance they always

Ladies' Night At Lodge La Tolerance, No. 538.

delighted in receiving visitors and members of other lodges , and they always tried that the visitors should enjoy themselves as much as possible . The list of visitors was almost too numerous to warrant him in going through it all , and he would , therefore , simply mention a few whose names came uppermost in his mind , Bros . Scurrah , Cooke , Dr . Nicholls , Massey , Gates , Stevens , and Faulkner . In

offering the toast he should couple with it the names of Bros . Scurrah , Nicholls , and Massey . Bro . SCURRAH , in reply , said that it was always a pleasure to visit Lodge La Tolerance , but when Lodge La Tolerance gave a ladies' night the occasion was sure to be charming . On this occasion Lodge La Tolerance seemed to have outdone itself , and it was , therefore , difficult in

responding for this toast to sufficiently emphasise the thanks of the visitois without being effusive . Bros . Dr . NICHOLLS and MASSEY also replied . The CHAIRMAN said that the next toast was that of "The Initiates . " Without initiates the grand Masonic Cralt would very soon come to grief , for without initiates the Cralt could not go on . He hoped that the two brethren

whom it had been his pleasure to introduce that evening into Masonry would in time to come occupy the proud position he now occupied . From what he had seen of them he believed they would make very good Masons . They were men that he had very great confidence in . In reply , Bro . TIDY said he had very great pleasure in responding to that toast . He could oniy , as one of the initiates , say that the W . M . was their Master and their

father , and he ( bro . Tidy ) hoped they would be good brethren , and go on under the Master ' s tuition to become true and earnest Masons . They felt that a great honour had been done them that night , and he assured the lodge that , as lar as he was concerned , nothing would ever make him budge an inch from the lodge called La Tolerance . Bro . PRIOR , the other initiate , said he could not do more than endorse what his brother initiate had said .

The CHAIRMAN said the next toast was that of " The l . P . M ., " and he proposed , with the permission of the brethren , to couple with that the Past Masters and officers of thelodge . Of the [ . P . M . he must speak first . The l . P . M . was his right hand , although he was on his left ; and he was a very great assistance to him in his position as Master . As to the Past Masters , he did not know what to say

about them ; if he expressed all he might say in their praise for what they had done for the Iodge , many visitors might think he was overestimating their value , and that some of his eulogy was untrue , but such would not be the case . It had been his endeavour to follow in their footsteps . With regard to the officers , he said that they were his great supporters in the work he had to do . lie was

highly favoured with having members of the Iodge who were capable of fulfilling the duties in a way that was satisfactory to themselves , and gratifying to the lodge . He proposed on this occasion to give the honour of reply to the officers themselves—to those who were now working —and he should , therefore , couple with the toast the two Wardens , and the junior member of the officers , Bro .

Sydney George Edridge . Bro . W . MAY CLEAR , S . W ., and Bro . W . WEBB , J . W ., briefly returned thanks , and Bro . Edridge , C . S ., added a few words , in which he specially thanked the Worshipful Master for always giving the juniors a chance . He ( Bro . Edridge ) had a chance given him now which he would avail himself of by asking whether , after turning out such

a Master as Bro . Fenn , they had not a higher opinion of Croydon than heretofore ? This portion of the evening's entertainment being concluded , the company adjourned to an adjoining room , where a concert had been arranged for their entertainment while the room in which they had dined was being

prepared for dancing . The programme included a pianoforte solo ( Nocturne , in G , Deuze ) by Bro . T . Ward , R . A . M ., Organist of the lodge ; songs by Mrs . W . T . Willby , Bros . J . J . Pittman , G . L . Lyons , and S . G . Edridge ; and two solos on the zither-banjo by Mr . Alfred D . Cammeyer , of New York , which last performer certainly reveals capabilities in the banjo hitherto undreamed of .

After enjoying the music , the ladies were reconducted to the cupola room , now cleared for dancing , and were soon skimming over its polished floor in valse and polka , or threading their way through the mazy mysteries of modern quadrilles and lancers . The dancing was kept up till half-past one , when the company separated , charmed with the success of the

ladies' night of Lodge La Tolerance . The whole of the admirable musical arrangements were organised by Bro . Lyons , S . D . The company present included Bro . VV . B . Fenn , Mrs . Fenn , and Miss Fenn ; Bro . W . M . Clear , S . W ., and Mrs . Clear ; Bro . j . Kench , P . M ., P . G . P ., Treas ., Mrs . Kench , and Miss Gay ; Bro . J . B . Sly , P . M ., Hon . Sec , Mrs . Sly , Miss Ethel Sly , and Miss Edith Sly ; Bro . D .

E . Willby , J . D ., and Mrs . Willby ; Bro . T . Bicknell , I . P . M ., and Mrs . Bicknell ; Bro . T . W . Smale , P . M ., Mrs . Smale , Miss Smale , And Miss Pitts ; Bro . C . Burmeister , P . M ., and Mrs . Burmeister ; Bro . J . VV . Cooper , P . M ., P . P . J . G . D . Middx ., and Mrs . Cooper ; Bro . T . A . Tidy and Mrs . Tidy ; Bro . J . J . Pittman , Miss Batchelor , and Miss Bbwers ; Bro . J . W . Elvin , P . M .,

D . C , Mrs . Elvin , Mrs . Poncione , and Miss Poncione ; Bro . Charles Burt , P . M ., Mrs . Burt , Miss Harrap , and Miss E . Harrop ; Bro . G . L . Lyons , S . D ., and Mrs . Lyons ; Bro . J . Skinner , Mrs . Skinner , and another lady ; Bro . R . G . Marner , Mrs . Marner , and other ladies ; Bro . Dr . Nicholls , W . M . 4 63 , Mrs . Nicholls , Mrs . H . Smale , Miss Smale , and Miss E . Smale ; Bro . H . Hewett , 1536 ,

and Mrs . Hewett ; Bro . A . Boebr , P . M . 15 SS , and Mrs . Boehr ; Bro . R . P . Stevens , l . P . M . 901 , and Mrs . Stevens ; Bro . W . A . Scurrah , W . M . 167 , P . P . S . G . W ., and Miss Scurrah ; Bro . John Hooke , P . M . 4 ( 5 3 , P . P . G . D . C , and Mrs . Hooke ; Bro . Chas . Parsons , l . P . M . 1637 , and Mrs . Parsons ; Bro . H . Longman , 22 7 , and Mrs . Longman ; Bro . Dr . H . Gates , 4 63 , and Miss Rogers ; Bro . G . Ridout , 1287 , and Mrs . Ridout ; Bro . Charles J .

Taylor , 19 S 7 , and Mrs . Taylor ; Bro . E . Massey , P . M . 1297 , and- Miss Florence Massey ; Mr . and Mrs . Cunnell ; Bro . W . Webb , J . W . ; Bro . S . G . Edridge , C . S . ; Bro . Theo . Ward , Org . ; Mr . Alfred D . Cammeyer , New York ; Bro . E . Humphrey , P . M . ; Bro . W . Hooker ; Bro . E . T . Tidy ; Bio . T . T . Burt ; Mr . Frank Gibbs ; Bro . F . J . Woodin , P . M . 1 S 61 ; Bro . John Faulkner , P . M . 1425 ; Bro . C . Wentworth , 101 ; and Bro . J . Vicary , 1 S 0 .

Complimentary Banquet To Bro . Henry Lynn, M.L.S.B.

COMPLIMENTARY BANQUET TO BRO . HENRY LYNN , M . L . S . B .

On Friday evening , the ist inst ., Bro . H . Lynn , S . W . 217 , was entertained by his constituents and other friends at a complimentary banquet at Anderton ' s Hotel , Fleetstreet . The chair was occupied by General Fraser , V . C , M . P ., and among those present were Bro . H . Lynn , S . W .

21 7 , and Mrs . Lynn , Bro . H . Foster and Mrs . Foster , Bros . G . Collins , J . W . 1641 ; C . Wilson , P . M . ; W . J . Pope , Winks , Wright , P . M . ; J . Hernaman , A . K . C ., P . M . 1622 ; Bramley , Hale , R . E . H . Goflin , P . M . ; Bowman Spink , and Webb ; Bro . T . E . Heller , P . M ., P . Z ., and Mrs . Heller , Bro . J . VV . Thomas , P . M . 11541 , P . P . G . Std . Br . Staffs ., and Mrs . Thomas , Bro . R .

Greenwood , P . M . 1641 , and Mrs . Greenwood , Bro . Captain R . J . Vincent , P . M ., M . E . Z . 1777 , H . 1329 , and Mrs . Vincent , Bro . Charlie Wood * , 186 9 , A . S . 1275 , and Mrs . Woods , Bro . C . Castell , P . M ., and Mrs . Castell , Bro . Perizzi , Bro . Eckersall , W . M . 217 , and Mrs . Eckersall , Bro . W . R . Russell , J . W . 72 , and Miss Russell , Bro . Heathcote and Mrs . Heathcote , Bro . J . Lobb , C . C , M . L . S . B .,

and Mrs . Lobb , Bro . and Mrs . Phillips , Bro . Kirby , 1963 ; Bro . G . B . Clough , 217 ; Dr . and Mrs . Wagstaff , Mr . Barter , LL . B ., Mr . Hornell , Mr . Bridger , Mr . J . H . Gibson , and others . At the last School Board election , Bro . Lynn , who is a barrister , was returned at the head of the poll for West

Lambeth , which constituency he has represented for the past three years . The usual loyal and patriotic toasts having been duly honoured , Bro . J . HERNAMAN , A . K . C ., gave "The Learned Professions , " which was responded to by Mr . R .

HORNELL .. The CHAIRMAN next proposed the toast of the evening , viz ., " The Health of Bro . Lynn . " That gentleman ' s career , he said , was well known . Honour clung to him during his college life , and fame led him by the hand . When still in youth he stood as a candidate for the School Board . Three years back he received the immense

number of 11 , 939 votes , and last November he obtained the enormous number of 2 o , Soo votes . Since then he had been elected chairman of the Evening Classes Committee —no mean position . Bro . LYNN , in response , said that he should ever remember the honour paid to him that night . Referring to his connection with the School Board , he said that when three

years ago he ventured to become a candidate he had very little hope of occupying the position which he now held . But it was a matter of personal pride and gratification when he found himself placed at the head of the poll . He did not think then that the electors could do him a greater honour . But last November he found himself in a still higher position . He was happy to say that the best

workers for him at that time were ladies , and he only consented to be present that night on condition that ladies were present also . It was the policy which followed elections which was of importance , and not the election itself . He had devoted himself to that which he believed to be educational . At the present time we were paying a good round sum out of the Imperial Exchequer for the

education of the country , but he was one ot those who thought that they ought to pay a good deal more . Our system of education at the present time was too mechanical . He believed that our objects and aims had rather been to give fancied results rather than permanent benefits . He believed that the prime object of education was not only to develop the faculties of life now , but to prepare those

faculties for the struggle of after-life . With regard to evening classes , he said he did not think it was right that the State should take charge of a child at five years of age , and give up that charge at thirteen years of age . He was strongly in favour of a system of evening

continuation classes , such as they had in Germany , and of recreative schools , such as we had in London , in order to train the after-life of the child when he or she was beginning to enter the struggle of life . T he other toasts included " The Chairman , " " The School Board for London , " " The Ladies , " & c .

Annual Festival Of Wandsworth Lodge Of Instruction, No. 1044.

ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF WANDSWORTH LODGE OF INSTRUCTION , No . 1044 .

The 26 th annual festival of the above Iodge was held on Tuesday evening , the 5 th inst ., at the East Hill Hotel , Alma-road . The chair was taken by Bro . Higerty , P . M . 1044 and 1714 , P . P . G . D . ; assisted by Bros . J . J . Black , P . M . 1564 , S . W . ; Baker , 1360 , J . W . ; J . M . Parsons , J . D .

1564 , bee . ; Jones , P . M . 1563 , & c ., Treas . ; Brooks , S . W . and VV . M . elect 3 S 2 , S . D . ; Tavernor , J . D . ; and R . Monger , A . D . C . 1044 , I . G . Lodge was opened , when the Second Lecture was worked in a most admirable manner by the following brethren : ist Section—Bro . W . Foddy , 1044 ; 2 nd Section , Bro . J . G . Carter , P . M . 1044 ; 3 rd Section , Bro . Monger , A . D . C ,

& c , 1044 ; 4 th Section , Bro . H . Baker , 1360 ; and 5 th Section , Bro . J . M . Parsons , J . D . 1564 . The brethren present numbered 55 . A very imposing feature of the evening was the reading of a letter received from the Grand Lodge of Germany , sent by the personal direction of the late Emperor Frederick , acknowledging a letter of condolence from the lodge of

instruction on the death of the Emperor William 1 . A great honour to the lodge . Several brethren were unanimously elected members , and before closing a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the W . M . and the Section workers for their excellent work by Bro . Brooks , W . M . elect 3 S 2 , S . D . Lodge being closed , the banquet followedand the usual

, toasts were responded to enthusiatically , those of " The Committee , " " Section Workers , " " The Mother Lodge , and "The Visitors " meeting with special recognition . Bro . GRUNDY , 15 S 5 , spoke in glowing terms of the abilities of the W . M ., both in his capacity of Preceptor and as Presiding Master that evening . Bro . Carter , P . M ., also received great praise for his ability and zeal as

Preceptor and in the interests of Masonry . The worthy Secretary , Bro . PARSONS , after giving a short account of the prosperous state of the lodge , was greeted with a storm of applause . . - During the evening the W . M . , in a most pleasing and impressive speech , presented , on behalt of certain brethren , Bro . Higgs , P . M ., with a very handsome P . M . ' s collar ana jewel as a mark of their high esteem .