Correspondence.

Correspondence .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondent ? , bat we wish , in a spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limitsfree discussion .

GRAND LODGE CATALOGUES . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , In your paper of last week there is an advertisement of the Grand Lodrre Catalogue made un to I . Sne fmrr vpar-: nan T QhnnM lilrp fn knmv anrl nn

doubt there are many others who would also like to see a list of books added since 18 95 . 'It would be very useful if the list appeared in the columns of your widely read paper . —I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours faithfully and fraternally , P . M . April 18 th .

MASONIC SERVICES . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , A notice has just been placed in my hands announcing a Masonic Service , to be held in the Collegiate Church of St . Saviour ' s , Southwark , on Sunday , the 23 rd inst ., upon which occasion a collection will be made on behalf of the " Site and Orphanage for Sons of Schoolmasters and Schoolmistresses . "

Now , Sir , no one sympathises more heartily than I do in the efforts now being made to provide such an orphanage as that above mentioned ; but , taking into consideration the claims which our own Institutions have upon the Craft , I do think that we are making a great mistake in organising these services for other objects alone .

As Masons , we are in private life called upon to subscribe , in common with others , to every known cause of Charity ; but do let us keep our own special services , held under the dispensation of our Most Worshipful Grand Master , to those Charities which have the first claim upon our benevolence , or , at least , see that a portion of the proceeds are applied to them , for they need all the help we can give . —Yours fraternally , AN OLD P . M . April 20 th .

Reviews.

Reviews .

A SKETCH OF FREE . MASONRV IN BLANDFORD , from 1771 to 1897 . By Bro . Geo . E . Turner , P . M . 12 G 6 , J . G 22 , CC . 2076 and 2439 , P . P . G . Supt . Wks . Dorset , 30 A . and P . By-Laws of Lodge Honour and Friendship , No . 126 G . Blandford : Henry Shipp , Printer and Bookseller , Market-place . —It is hardly to be expected that the history of a lodge of comparatively recent creation should prove interesting to thc general body of Masons . They take a pleasure in reading about the doings of lodges that were constituted last century , or in the early years of the present one . Or if there are _ any special circumstances connected with a modern lodge , or if any unusual

incidents have occurred during its career , the brother who undertakes to write its history will find plenty of reader ? . But unless it is located in a Province or District , the work ot the average private lodge does not appeal very strongly to the sympathies of brethren who are not members . Bro . George E . Turner must have had this in his mind when he ventured upon tbe task of compiling a History of the Lodge of Honour and Friendship , No . 12 GG , Blandford . It was warranted and consecrated in the year 1 SG 9 , and as no stirring events have marked its progress , it is in

the fortunate position of having no history to record—none , at least , that would be likely to awaken any teeling of curiosity among outside brethren . He has , therefore , wisely carried his researches further back , and has succeeded in writing a very readable account of Freemasonry in Blandford from the year 1771 , when we are told that a lodge was working in the town , that its p lace of meeting was the Greyhound , and that its career lasted for about 10 years . No records exist of its doings , nor is anything known of it , beyond what has just been stated , and the fact that four Blandford brethren were

present at the meeting of Prov . G . Lodge , which was held under the presidency of Thomas Dunckerley , at Salisbury , on the 22 nd September , 1777 . With the erasure of this lodge from G . Lodge , Freemasonry appears to have been dormant for a period of over 30 years , nor was it till the year iS 15 that any attempt to form a lodge was made . On the 25 th Aug . of that year , after sundry meetings had been held under dispensation , Lod ^ e No . 665 , bearing the name of Honour and Friendship , was consecrated by Bro . VV . Williams , Prov . G . Master of Dorsetshire , assisted by his Deputy , Bro . Thomas Parr , and other

officers of his Prov . G . Lodge . This lodge continued to meet until the 4 th September , 1 S 35 , after which date it became non-existent . A second lodge , bearing the same title of Honour and Friendship , was constituted as No . 714 , and erased in 1 S 51 , but of this no mention is made by Bro . Turner , the omission being supplied by Bro . W . J . Hughan in his very interesting Introductory Chapter . Thus we pass directly from the year 1 S 35 , when the first Lodge of Honour and Friendship ceased to exist , to the year , SG < j , when the present lodge , No . 12 G 6 , was founded . It was consecrated by Bro . Thomas Gundry , Master

Prov . G . , on the 5 th October of that year , the warrant bearing date the 22 nd May preceding , and the title it assumed was that of its two predecessors , among the founders being a Bro . Jonathan Kent , who had been initiated in the first " Honour and Friendship , " but died , unfortunately , before the consecration of thc present lodge . Thus between Bro . Hughan ' s Introduction and Bro . Turner's narrative of Freemasonry in Blandford we have a most pleasant volume , and one which , we doubt not , has already lound a place in the library of most of our Dorset breihren . At all events , it deserves to have done so , for Bro . Turner has

written his part very clearly and concisely . His remarks , too , where he has thought it necessary to make any comment or furnith an explanation , are very much to the point , and conceived in the very best possible good taste . Be it added that the History is dedicated to R . W . Bro . J . Montague Guest , Prov . Grand Matter , and that its value is enhanced by the inseition of several illustrations , prominent among which are th .- portia tsof the Prov . Grand Master and of the two surviving founders of the present lodge — Bro . J . L . Marsh , the Treasurer , and Bro . VV . N . Strickland , P . M ., P . Prov . G . Warden .

Ladies' Night Of The Victoria Lodge, No. 2671.

LADIES' NIGHT OF THE VICTORIA LODGE , No . 2671 .

The first gathering of this description in connection with the above comparatively new and thriving lodge took place on Saturday , the 15 th instant , the

regular lodge meeting having been previously held at the Masonic Hall , Windsor , under the presidency of the I . P . M . and Secretary , Bro . Edward Prince , P . M . 209 , P . Prov , G . S . of W ., in the absence of the W . M ., Bro . John Baynes , who was unable to reach Windsor in time .

The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed and other routine business transacted , and l ! ru . A . Ii . Judd having been duly passed to trie-Second Dcgiee by Bro . Prince , the lodge was closed , and the brethren adjourned to the White Hart Hotel where , on the arrival of the W . M ., . 1 reception was held , and the company numbering 45 ( consisting of 19 ladies and 26 brethren and other gentlemen ) , sat down , at 6 p . m ., to an excellent banquet , at the conclusion

Ladies' Night Of The Victoria Lodge, No. 2671.

of which Grace , " Laudi Spiritual ! , " was beautifully sung , and the toast of " The Queen and the Craft , ' proposed by the W . M ., was followed by the National Anthem . A concert was then proceeded with , a splendid programme of vocal and instrumental music having been arranged , in which Miss Stella Maris , Miss Louise

Weaver , and Bros . Bell-Kempton , A . W . Hall , jun ., T . W , Turner , and C . A Starkey , took part , interspersed with a highly talented and amusing ventriloquial entertainment , and a humorous sketch by Bro . Sidney Gandy , and also with an impromptu dance ( during a short interval ) . Bro . A . W . Hall , Organist of the lodge acted most ably as accompanist .

During the evening the toast of " The Worshipful Master" was proposed by Bro . PRINCE , l . P . M . and Sec , who gave , for the information of the ladies present , a brief summary of the qualifications usually looked for in the W . M . of a Masonic lodge , including some of a humorous character , all of which , he assured them , were fully developed in Bro . Baynes , whom he specially praised for his ready support of the Masonic Charities . The toast was most cordially received , f . nd , in due course , suitably acknowledged by the W . M .

The toast of " The Ladies" was afterwards given by the W . M ., who signified the great pleasure felt by himself and all the brethren of the lodge at the success attending this their first endeavour to enliven their proceedings with the company of ladies , whom he heartily thanked for the honour and grace of their presence , and expressed the hope ( in which all the company appeared to concur ) that the ladies' evening would become an annual institution of the lodge , as he was sure the brethren could not have too much of ladies' society , which they all so thoroughly enjoyed .

Bro . A . W . HALL , jun ., responded for the ladies in an admirable manner . A most pleasant and enjoyable evening was brought to a close with some special remarks from the W . M ., in which he thanked the artistes for the delightful treat they had given , and the Committee ( Bros . Prince , Cocks , Reed , Marshall , Turner , and Hall , jun . ) , who had carried out the arrangements in such a praiseworthy manner , particularly eulogising Bro . Prince for his untiring energy in the 111 itter , and for his unceasing efforts to promote the prosperity of the lodge and the happiness of the brethren .

Bros . Prince and Gandy were called upon to respond , which they did in appropriate terms . There were present Bro . John Baynes , W . M ., accompanied by Mr . and Mrs . Andras : Bro . E . Prince , P . M . 209 , P . P . G . S . of VV ., l . P . M . and Sec , and Mrs . and Miss Prince ; Bros . W . A . Cocks , P . M . 2163 , Prov . G . Stwd ., J . W . ; E . Ste Dhens , 7 S 0 ; G . Taylor , 645 ; Bro . W . H . Reed , P . M . 382 , Treas ., and Mrs . and Miss Reed and Mr . Brown ; Bro . Ernest Marshall , P . M . 771 , P . P . G . Std . Br ., S . D ., and Mrs . Marshall ; Bros . T . W . Turner , D . C . j A . A . Hardy , W . M . 382

and 2163 , A . D . C . ; Bro . Chappell , 3 S 2 ; Bro . A . W . Hall , Junr . Org ., and Miss Hutchinson ; Bro . W . A . Hardy , Stwd ., Mrs . Hardy , and Mr . and Mrs . Eames ; Bro . A . W . Hall , senr ., Stwd ., and Mrs . and Miss Hall ; Bro . J . J . Simcox , Prov . G . Treas . Bucks , Stwd . ; Bro . W . H . Barney and Mrs . Barney ; Bros . Sydney Gandy , 1360 ; W . L . James , and A . E . Judd ; Bro . Bell Kempton and Mrs . Kempton ; Bro . J . SI . Payne ; Bro . C . A . Starkey and Mrs . Starkey ; Bro . E . A . Sticklandand Mrs . Stickland : Bro . J . F . Wolff and Mrs . and Miss Wolff , Miss Stella Maris , and Miss Louise Weaver .

A dispensation having been obtained for the purpose from the Prov . G . Master of Berkshire , the brethren appeared in full Masonic clothing and jewels . Each lady received a handsome bottle of perfume on taking her place at the dinner table , as a souvenir of the occasion . Several of the ladies and other visitors availed themselves of an opportunity which was afforded them prior to assembling at the hotel of viewing the Masonic Temple in which the lodge meetings are held , and of which the brethren are sa justly proud , and were much impressed and pleased with its ornate beauty .

Ladies' Banquet Of The St. Pancras Lodge, No. 2271.

LADIES' BANQUET OF THE ST . PANCRAS LODGE , No . 2271 .

PRESENTATION TO BRO . W . A . SCURRAH , P . G . S . B . A very successful ladies' night was held in connection with this lodge at the Midland Grand Hotel , St . Pancras , on the 12 th inst ., when Bro . VV . A . Scurrah , P . G . S . B ., was presented with a very handsome testimonial , as a token of esteem and regard and in appreciation of his valuable services as Secretary since the consecration .

The guests on arrival were received by the W . M ., Bro . T . Parker , and Miss Parker , and , after a short interval spent in pleasant conversation , the banquet was announced . A choice menu was provided by the management , the dinner being excellently served , and giving great satisfaction . A string band discoursed sweet music during banquet , after which a short toast list was proceeded with . "The Oueen " and "T . R . H . the Prince and Princess of Wales and Royal Family" were first honoured ,

Bro . J ACOII , I , P . M ., briefly proposed " Thc W . M ., 'to which Bro . PARKER , W . M ., as briefly replied . ' Bro . IL R . GRAHAM , M . P ., P . M ., proposed " The Ladies . " The only reason he could give for the toast being entrusted to him was that he had the misfortune to be a bachelor . It , therefore , came more appropriate from him , for a married man would have lo propose it in the singular . Ladies were excluded from their

solemn rites , and that fact made Masonry popular , because curiosity was not confined to one sex , and it , therefore , attracted many men to it . One of the great attractions of Masonry at Oxford was that all Masons had such good looking sisters , and when he saw that large gathering , he was convinced that the tradition had been well kept up . He felt sure there was no lady in the room who would not , by simply standing up and not saying anything , obtain greater applause and enthusiasm for the toast which he so unworthily placed before them .

Bro . PALI . J ORDAN , D . G . W . Hong Kong , said he felt highly honoured at being selected to respond , and , on behalf of the ladies , had great phasure in returning thanks . He could not adequately express how gratified the ladies had been in attending , some having come several hundred miles . On their behalf he returned thanks for the arrangements made for their comfort . The " ladies ' night" was an institution unknown in Hong Kong ; but be hoped when he got back to inaugurate these gatherings , although he was afraid they could not equal such a splendid meeting as this .

The W . M . next proposed " The Executive Committee , " which included Bros . Vine , S . W . ; Curner , J . W . ; and Scurrah , Sec . They had noconception oj what a ladies' man the Secretary was . 'When they first proposed this ladies night , Bro . Scurrah raised his Masonic hand in pious Masonic horror , and asked what ladies had to do with Masonry , adding , however , that as Secretary he would do as he was told . They were still in hopes that the Secretary would present to