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they considered that Bro . Cooper came such a long distance —all the way from Preston—to be present , and do his duty as W . M ., they might well be proud of him , and tender him their hearty thanks in the cordial manner they had done . He reviewed the progress of the lodge , and said that when it was first proposed , some 14 years ago , he , as VV . M . of a lodge in the district , opposed it , as he conscientiously

believed it would injure the prospects of the lodge he was identified with ; but what was the result ? Why , since that time Masonry had made such strides that , instead of injuring the Nelson Lodge , it had increased its property a hundredfold , lt was useless to try to repress Masonry ; it was like the flowing tide , and would come in . So long as there

were seven good and true Masons left in a lodge it would never collapse , so that there was no fear of opposition , but rather a rejoicing to see Masonry extending its branches far and wide . He concluded an excellent speech by heartily thanking them on his own behalf for the toast . Bros . Renton and Macfarlane having spoken , "The Officers " and Tyler's toast concluded the proceedings .

EALING . —West Middlesex Lodge ( No . 1612 ) . —The installation meeting of this lodge for the present year was held at the Vestry Hall , South Ealing , on Saturday , the 13 th inst ., on which occasion there was a large attendance of members and visiting brethren , among the latter being Bros . C . F . Hogard , P . G . Std . Br . ; H . C . Green . 779 ; J- C . Dwarber , P . M . 55 and 1589 ; C J .

Combs , W . M . 780 ; A . G . Pritchard , Org . 9 ; A . C . Toy , 172 ; L . Knobland , 392 ; J . C Hambleton , 1319 ; J . Owen , 671 ; J . Fowkes , 780 ; Ed . Simmons , Org . 861 ; Edwd . Hopgood , 946 ; Edwd . B . Cox , W . M . 1563 ; Edwd . Stephens , 789 ; H . Prenton , 1319 ; H . Youens , W . M . 1612 ; Da Silva , W . M . 2265 ; Alex . Jones , P . M . 1612 ; Thos . Scriven , P . M . 893 ; E . P . Delevante , 2021 ;

A . Turner , S . W . 1894 ; E . Singer , J . W . 18 94 ; J . Baker , S . D . 1894 ; Geo . Gardner , P . M . and Sec . 2012 ; E . C . Massey , and others . The lodge was opened by Bro . George S . Wright , the W . M ., when the minutes of the previous meeting were read by the Sec , Bro . A . J . Burr , and confirmed , after which the report of the Audit Committee upon the financial position of the lodge was read and adopted . Bro . E . C . Porter , the

W . M . elect , was presented to the W . M . to receive at his hands the benefit of installation , whereupon Bro . Wright addressed the brethren according to the usual custom upon the subject of the annual election of a properly qualified Craftsman to act as Master , and Bro . Porter having expressed his willingness to undertake the office , and having solemnly given his assent to the ancient charges as recited to him by the Secretary , was then obligated as Master elect . The brethren below the rank of Installed Master

having retired , a numerous Board of Installed Masters was formed , in whose presence Bro . Wright formally installed Bro . Porter into the chair of K . S . according to ancient custom , and he was saluted by the members of the Board , which was then closed . On the re-admission of the remaining brethren the ceremony was taken up by Bro . Henry Kasner , P . M . and Treasurer of the lodge , who proclaimed

. the newly-installed Master in the Three Degrees , in which he was duly saluted by the brethren according to the customary form . The Worshipful Master then proceeded to invest his officers for the ensuing year as follows : Bros . G . S . Wright , I . P . M . ; J . L . Hamilton , S . W . ; . G . Coop , J . W- ; E . j . Acworth , P . M . 133 , P . M ., Treas . ; A . J . Burr , P . M ., Sec ; J . Wells , S . D . ; A . Pooley , J . D . ; C P . Bellerby , I . G . ; E . T . Brown , D . C ; F .

Delevante , Org . ; C . W . Cunningham and J . Fryers , Stwds . ; and G . Harrison , Tyler . Bro . Kasner then delivered the three addresses to the W . M ., the Wardens , and the lay brethren , and brought the ceremony to a close by reciting the customary oration upon the nature and objects of Freemasonry , a work which he perfomed in a very able manner . There being no other business on the

paper the lodge was closed . Subsequently the brethren dined together at the Vestry Hall , which made a grand banquet room . About 50 brethren sat down to a very elegant repast , to which ample justice was . done . When the waiters had retired the customary loyal and Masonic toasts were proposed from the cross table at which the newly-installed W . M . of course

. presided , and proved himself to be an excellent host . The intervals between the speeches were relieved by some exceptionally good music , both vocal and instrumental , and the brethren had the additional pleasure of listening to a couple of capital musical sketches from Bro . A . G . Pritchard , whose dry humour was evidently appreciated , as both won . for him a long burst of applause and encore . The other

soloists were Miss Emily Davies , who sang She wandered down the mountain side , " and another song very sweetly ; Bro . Henry Prenton , a grand basso , who sang Pinsuti ' s " I . fear no foe in shining armour , " very finely , and proved by singing " I ' m longshore Billy o' Portsmouth town " that he was equal to the humorous as well as the sentimental class of music ; and Mr . Eustace Jay , who sang Pinsuti ' s

"Awake , awake , " and De Lara's " The garden of sleep , " with good effect . One of the greatest treats of the evening in a musical way was the performance of the overture to "Zampa" by Bros . F . Delevante , P . M ., E . Delevante , and J . Hambleton , than which we have rarely heard anything finer , and which called forth a storm of applause . After the toasts "The Queen and the Craft" and

"The M . W . Grand Master" had been honoured , Bro . Porter proposed "The Health of the Pro G . M ., the Earl of Carnarvon , the Dep . G . M ., the Earl of Lathom , and the rest of the Grand Officers , Present and Past , " but in doing so he said that in view of the important musical programme , he should confine himself to the quotation from Titus Andronicus that appeared beneath

that toast , to remind the brethren that the Grand Officers were " men of noble minds , " and should couple with it the name of Bro . Hogard , who was among them . Bro . C . F . Hogard , P . G . Std . Br ., in reply , said , on his own behalf and on behalf of the noblemen who had been mentioned , and the rest of the Grand Officers , Present and Past , that he had to return the Master and the brethren his very sincere thanks for the way in which the toast

had been proposed and drunk . In regard to the Chairmanship of the G . M . at the Girls' School Festival at the Albert-Hall , to which the W . M . had referred in proposing his Royal Highness ' s health , it had undoubtedly produced a magnificent result , and could not be too highly appreciated , and he did not doubt that when the grand total of ; Masonic Benevolence was added up at the end of the year it would be found to be little less for 1888 than £ 100 , 000 . Masonry , as an Institution , did an immense amount of

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good , and although in some foreign countries it was rather under a cloud , yet here , where the heir apparent to the throne took upon himself the Grand Mastership , it could not be thought that it had any political significance . Bro . Hogard concluded by thanking the W . M . for coupling his name with that toast . Bro . G . S . Wright , I . P . M ., said that he had got the gavel in his hand for a few moments only that evening ,

but the brethren knew what that was for , he had to propose "The Health of the W . M ., " a toast which , he was sure , would meet with their genuine sympathy and support . There was no one more esteemed and liked than Bro . Porter who had been put into the chair that day . He was sure he had the sympathy and the best wishes of the whole of the brethren , that he might have a prosperous year of office , and that afterwards he might be for many years a Past Master of the lodge of which he had been an ornament .

Bro . Porter , in reply , said that of all the speeches a W . M . had to make he was sure that in which it was his privilege to return thanks to the brethren for drinking his health was the most difficult . He was quite sure he did not deserve all the kind things which had been said about him . He admitted his intention had been good , and if his execution had not been equal to his intentions he must

trust to their good nature to take the will for the deed . He deeply appreciated the kind manner in which the toast had been received . As far as the duties were concerned , he assured them he should use his utmost endeavours to keep up the standard of the lodge work to that high pitch which it had long been fortunate enough to attain . It would be his endeavour to do all he could to benefit the

lodge . In proposing the next toast— "The Health of the Immediate Past Master "—Bro . Porter said they must all admit that Bro . Wright had had a good many difficulties to work against during his year of office . Now , however , he had arrived at the end of his term in good condition , lt required very little to recommend this toast to the

notice of the brethren , because they all knew Bro . Wright so well . Bto . Wright , on rising to return thanks for the very kind way in which his health had been proposed by the W . M . and drunk by the brethren , said he did not know that he was more particularly entitled to praise than his predecessor in the chair . They had been in somewhat troubled waters ,

but theship had now weathered the storm ; they had got a new captain , and , with the chart that was laid before him , be had no doubt that he would be able to steer clear of shoals that he ( Bro . Wright ) had tried to avoid . For himself , he hoped that he should long continue to be a P . M . of the lodge , and spend many and many an installation meeting among the brethren in as good company as that

which was now around him . Bro . Porter ( interposing ) said that he had made a slight , but a somewhat important , omission , which he must now remedy . He had to ask Bro . Wright to receive at his hands a P . M . jewel , which had been unanimously accorded to him by the lodge . It was with great pleasure that he now placed it on Bro . Wright's breast , trusting that he would enjoy good health to wear it for many years to

come . Bro . Wright said that the second edition of the W . M . ' s speech was very flattering to him , and he begged to thank the lodge for having conferred upon him that mark of their appreciation of his endeavours properly to discharge the duties of his office . The W . M . next proposed "The Health of the Past

Masters of the Lodge , " of whom there was a goodly array . They were all brethren who had done their work admirably , and of whom the lodge had reason to be proud . He should ask Bro . Beesley , Bro . Seward , and Bro . Fisher to respond . Bro . Beesley , in reply , said for himself he thanked the W . M . and brethren very much for the way in which the

toast had been received , and for the very kind way in which his name had been included in so comprehensive a toast . The W . M . had alluded to the fact that he ( Bro . Beesley ) was the father of the lodge , and had initiated him into Freemasonry . It gave him much pleasure to be there to see his child installed into the chair ; and he was sure Bro . Porter would be not the least efficient Master and not

the least worthy to have a jewel awarded to him . He had not been present at the lodge as often as he could have wished , but he had done all that he could for the benefit of the lodge . Bro . Seward also returned thanks . He had not been able to take part in their meetings during the past year so often as he would have wished . He congratulated the

Master upon the excellent financial position of the lodge , and on the prospect of a good term of office . Bro . Fisher thought the W . M . had been very wise in his selection of respondents to that toast . Bro . Beesley was father and a founder of the lodge ; Bro . Seward was an initiate in the lodge , while he himself was a joining member ; so that the founders , the initiates , and the joining

members were represented . In the latter capacity he felt it a great honour that he had been allowed to pass through the chair of the lodge , and it was his intention to remain in the lodge , and do all he could in its interests . He had no sympathy with those , whether in lodge or chapter , who as soon as they had won the highest distinction they could attain , then sent in their resignation . The honour he had

acquired in the lodge he owed to the lodge , and now he should endeavour to stick hard and fast to it . The Worshipful Master then rose and said that he had a very great duty to perform , which was to propose the health of one who was held in very high esteem by every one , and who most richly deserved that good feeling from them , namely , their much esteemed Bro . Henry Kasner .

He was sorry that that toast had not been placed in the hands of some one who in the use of language could do more justice to Bro . Kasner than he could do . But he could say from his heart that no one felt greater pleasure than himself in handing Bro . Kasner the illuminated address , which he would ask Bro . Wright , P . M ., to read . Bro . Wright then read the address , which was as follows :

" To Bro . H . Kasner , P . M . 1612 . " Dear Sir , " The occasion of your retirement from the position of Treasurer affords the members of the West Middlesex Lodge an opportunity of testifying their respect for you as a friend , and their appreciation ot you as a Mason . The brethren of the lodge recognise that your fellow-parishioners in Ealing have not been slow to appreciate your worth ; the

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proof being that your time is much occupied in fulfillinovarious public duties in connection with the welfare of ou town . As a founder of our lodge , Past Master , and fQr many years Treasurer , we have always seen you ready to assist those who needed the benefit of your Masonic knowledge . Scrupulously careful in the discharge of ot Z

y duty , and kind to all with whom you have been put in con tact , you leave your position with our regret ; and in asking your acceptance of the accompanying cases of silver plate we desire to practically testify our respect , and express our wish that you may be spared many years to continue a member of our lodge .

"Signed on behalf of the Lodge , " Stewards of the Testimonial Fund . " That , continued the W . M ., you will observe is not yet signed ; the hurried preparation of it is the cause of that If you will let us have it back for the purpose it will be signed by Bro . Acworth , P . M . and Treasurer , by mvself as W . M ., and by Bro . Geo . S . Wright , as I . P . M . And

now , Bro . Kasner , allow me to pass to you the cases of plate , and to express the hope of the brethren that you may live many years as a Past Master of this lodge , and to enjoy this present . The W . M . then handed to Bro . Kasner two very handsome cases , one containing a full set of fish knives and forks and carvers , and the other a set of fruit knives and forks .

Bro . Kasner , in reply , said : VV . M ., Past Masters Wardens , and brethren—I have risen many times during the last eighteen or twenty years that I have been a Mason to return thanks for the kind way in which my health has been proposed , but I think I have never risen with greater pleasure or with greater _ difficulty , the pleasure arising from this great manifestation of your good feeling toward *

me , and the difficulty from the fact that I find myself without adequate words to thank you as I ought . Generally a few light words , a little joke , and so on , is the part I take ; but to-night I feel unequal to doing that , to show my gratitude to you for your kindness as shown in the testimonial to me . This comes upon me almost wholl y as a surprise to-night , for although I had a hint to-night that

something was to be done ( and I heartily thank the brother who gave me the hint ) , I little thought it would take the shape of the handsome and beautiful present you have given me this evening . But I see you have referred to the reason for my giving up Masonry and some other matters . Well , those of you who are engaged in public life know what it is ; committee leads to committee , and

encasement to engagement , until one scarcely has a night at home . Now , I don't think that any good Mason ever found marriage a failure , but all will admit that one has duties at home , and when Masonic and public employments cause you to have engagements three deep , you will admit that the time has come when you should draw in in some measure . I am giving up many lodges and public

offices on this account , and it is on this account I have given up the Treasurership of this lodge . There is another thing that strikes me to-night . When 1 recollect how small , numerically , our lodge is , and consider the value of this present . I think that all must have given largely to provide a sufficient fund , and it adds largely to the value of the gift to know that I have the

esteem of all the members , or the great majority of the members , of the lodge . 1 am glad that I am leaving the affairs of the lodge in a better state than they have been in for many years . With the funds in their present condition Bro . Acworth will be in a position to put our West Middlesex Lodge forward in the way that it should be placed . I wish I could for a few moments be endowed

with eloquence sufficient to thank you properly . I feel your kindness , but I will not pretend to say that this is the happiest moment of my existence , but looking back I may say that this is the very happiest moment that I can recollect during the whole of my Masonic life . I wish I . could express more fully what I feel . You must take for granted what I wish to express , for I cannot say all that I wish to

say . I am sure too that my wife , when I get home with your gifts , will feel as I do , and that my children will treasure them as I shall . I hope I may , in accordance with the kind wish expressed upon the testimonial , live long enough to bring my boys into this lodge , and this I am sure will be an incentive to them . I thank you for your brotherly love ; I thank you for your united esteem ,

and hope I may live long to enjoy the fellowship of the brethren of the West Middlesex Lodge . I thank you for your generous gift , and for the united way in which it has been given , which I shall never forget as long as I live . Several other toasts followed , including " The Visitors ' Health , " which was replied to by Bros . Dwarber , H . T . Green , Turner , Singer , and others .

"The Health of the Treasurer and Secretary , " Bros » Acworth and Burr , was responded to by the latter saying in reference to the present to Bro . Kasner , that gratifying as that gift must be to the late Treasurer , he believed that Bro . Kasner would have even greater satisfaction if he

saw the very cordial and generous replies he had received from the brethren in reply to his circular letter on the subject of the testimonial tund . The next toast was " The Officers of the Lodge , " which was responded to by the Senior and Junior Wardens and others , and then the Tyler ' s toast closed a most successful evening .

THORNTON HEATH . —Old England Lodge ( No . 1790 ) . —A meeting of this lodge was held on Thursday , the 4 th inst ., at the Masonic Hall . Present : Bros . F . 1 ' . Ridpath , Worshipful Master , P . G . S . ; H . M . Hobbs , I . P . M ., P . J . G . W . ; J . Kilvington , S . W . ; Dr . R . G . Fleming , J . W . ; Wm . Foulsham , P . M ., P . P . J . G . W . ; G . S . Horsnail , Secretary ; R . Budd , I . D .: C . Tarry ,

Steward ; E . C . Symmons , I . G . ; J . P . Gordon , D . of C ; W . Lane , Tyler ; W . H . Ranson , P-M . ; J . Buckley , H . Cox , F . R . Rayner , J . Bolton , J . Grew , C . White , W . J . Turpin , H . Sherry , J . S . Mortimore , T . Chamberlain , W . R . Griffin , A . H . Dyball , A . Wilmot , and Jas . Clarke . Visitors : Bros . W . Burn , S . D . 85 8 ; C . J < Balfour , 902 ; F . Cambridge , J . W . 2182 , P . P . G . O . 5 ChasCooke 1851 Everist 720 Klein

. , J . D . ; E . , P . M . ; J- , F . Morcy , 1178 ; Wm . Parker , P . M . 1851 ; W . <•" Simmons , 1155 ; A . G . Taylor , 1851 , P . P . G . Supt . of Wks ., and H . G . Vickers , W . M . 1632 . The W . M . opened the lodge , and the minutes of the ^ last meeting were read and unanimously confirmed . Bro . Bickley , by command of the W . M ., acted as S . D ., JJ * ballot was taken for Mr . A . H . Dyball , and declared in nis