Craft Masonry.

of the Lodge of Friendship , but in the Cra ft generally . Bro . Bloxham , he added , could be depended upon to discharge the duties t hat might devolve upon him during his tenure of the chair with zeal and assiduity , and had spared no pains to perfect himself in the ceremonial ritual as well as in section working , at which he was an adept . He wished Bro . Bloxham a very happy and busy year of office , and hoped the brethren would loyally support him throughout .

Bro . E . B . Bloxham , VV . M ., in reply , expressed his great pleasure and gratification in having attained what he regarded as a very proud position indeed—the Mastership of his mother lodge . He highly appreciated the very flittering remarks that had fallen from his worthy predecessor , and assured the brethren that he would spare no efforts in carrying out the duties of his office to the best of his ability . "The Health of the Initiate , Bro . Chatten , " was received very cordially , and be responded to the toast in a graceful speech .

The toast of " The Visitors " was then proposed by the W . M .. who said he was delighted to welcome , on behalf of the lodge , so many of their friends . It was by no means unusual to see a goodly number of visitors at the Lodge of Friendship , and he hoped that those brethren who had been present that evening would carry away none but the most pleasant recollections of their visit .

The names of Bros . D . P . Holmes , P . M ., and C . Evans , P . M ., were coupled with the toast , and both responded briefly , but in cordial terms , the former mentioning incidentally that , having known the W . M . ( Bro . Bloxham ) for upwards of 40 years , it was indeed most pleasing to him to be present on the auspicious occasion of his taking the chair of Master for the first time .

Other toasts having followed , the proceedings were brought to a termination by the Tyler's toast . The musical arrangements of the evening were conducted by Bro . H . Wharton Wells , who was ably assisted by Bros . Gurney Russell , Arthur Wilson , VV . L . Freeman , J . Oitner , R . Clark , and Mr . Frank Percival ( ventriloquist ) .

Skelmersdale Lodge , No . 1599 . The rrguU r meeting of this lodge was held at the Ship and Turtle , Lcadenhallstrcet , on the I 4 t ' i inst , urder the presidency of Bro . E . J . Wickenden , W . M ., supported by Bros . F . VV . Horn , S . W . ; H . Pierce , J . W . ; A . J . Shotter , P . M ., Treas . ; George Laker , P . M ., Sec . ; Ernest Cove , S . D . ; W . Callingham , J . D . ; C . W . Hall , I . G . :

E . Stuart Lane , Org . ; Fred . Lewis , P . M . ; Enos Howes , P . M . ; C . H . A . Harris , P . M . ; A . W . Diamond , H . S . East , Thos . Ogden , Percy Callingham , H . Williams Mellor , A . Feaviour , S . G . Woods , G . A . Keen , F . Cundall , F . R . Callingham , J . T . Smith , W . Mokler , and J . Rawles , Tyler . Visitors : Bros . Jno . Simpson , 177 , and R . T . West , 1744 .

The lodge was opened and the minutes of the previous meeting read and confirmed , after which the VV . M . passed Bros . Percy Callingham , A . Feaviour , and T . Ogden to the Second Degree . The excellent working of Bro . Wickenden deserves the highest praise , and it has seldom fallen to our lot to witness a more perfect rendering of the ritual . Before closing the lodge , the W . M . referred to Bro . S . G . Wood—who had been

abroad for several years—and said they were all delighted to see him again in the lodge and , on behalf of the members , he tendered him the right hand of fellowship with all good wishes , which Bro . Woods acknowledged in a few appropriate words . A substantial supper followed , which gave great credit to the establishment , and was well-served under the superintendence of the manager , Bro . E . Ashby . The usual loyal and Masonic toasts having been honoured .

Bro . Enos Howes , P . M ., proposed "The Health of the W . M ., Bro . Wickenden , " and said his excellent work that evening redounded to his credit and to the lodge , and while he was in the chair it would lose none of its lustre . The candidates who were initiated at the last meeting were fortunate in having such a good Master , as there was not the slightest doubt that he was one of the very best in the annals of the lodge . Bro . E . J . Wickenden , VV . M ., on rising to respond had a very hearty welcome .

He said that Bro . Enos Howes had exaggerated his small abilities , but anything he could do to promote the interests of the lodge he would be only too pleased . He took a very great interest in Freemasonry , and he had endeavoured to do his work so as to give satisfaction . The trouble he had had in mastering the ritual was amply repaid by the honour of his being Master and the kind way they had always received him .

Bro . J . Simpson , responding to the toast of " The Visitors , " said he came particularly to see the working of the lodge , of which he had heard so much , and he could not eulogise too much the grand working of the W . M . Bro . R . T . West , who was called upon , also acknowledged the toast . The W . M . gave "The Treasurer , Secretary , and Past Masters , " observing that they were the backbone of the lodge , an ! without them it could not exist ; they had brought it to the high credit it then stood in the Craft ; they were all good men and true , and they were appreciated by all the members .

In response , Bro . A . J . Shotter , P . M ., Treas ., said it was always a pleasure to do everything for the lodee , of which he had been a member for over 20 years , and he hoped they would all be spared for many years to be together . The VV . M . ' s year of office would be a successful one , both financially and otherwise . Bro . G . Laker , P . M ., Sec , said it was a great honour to be the Secretary of such a good lodge , which came of age in April next . Bro . C . H . A . Harris , P . M ., acknowledged the toast on behalf of the Past Masters , remarking that they were proud of the efficiency of the W . M .

The Woishipful Master said it gave him much pleasure to propose "The Health of Bro _ . S . G . Woods . " Bro . Woods was initiated in the lodge and within two years of his initiation he went to British Honduras , where he was Registrar-General and late acting Chief Justice . They had often thought of him while he was away and anxious to know how he was getting on . They were all very pleased to have him with them again and hoped he would make a long stay . The toast was drunk with the greatest enthusiasm .

Bro . S . G . Woods responded . He said that the general impression was that men of the Law had a lot of jaw , but that was not his case . He was proud to be a Mason and a member of an English lodge , and he was glad that he had been initiated in that ledge . After an absence of six years he was pleased to be there and that was enhanced by seeing his Masonic father , Bro . C . H . A . Harris , P . M ., present . While away he endeavoured to start a lodge at British Honduras and he explained fully the diffiulties

he had to encounter but unfortunately he was not successful in his desire . He had never lost sight of that his mother lodge and he was touched and gratified with the very hearty way they had received him . All the members were dear friends of his and he would be very glad if ever he could do anything for them . "The Officers" was proposed by the VV . M ., and responded toby Bros . F . W . Horn , S . W . ; H . Pierce , J . W . ; Ernest Cove , S . D . ; VV . Callingham , J . D . ; C . W . Mall , I . G . ; and E . Stuart Lane , Org . ; and the Tyler ' s toast concluded a very happy

evening . The following brethren contributed to the harmony of the evening -. Bros . C W , Hall , G . J . Shotter , P . M . j W . Callinghim , F . Lewis , P . M . ; S . G . Woods , W . Mokler , and C . II . A . Harris , P . M ., who gave Bro . Trotere ' sbeautiful song , "Asthore . " Bro . Stuait Lane presided with his well-known ability at the pianoforte .

Quatuor Coronati Lodge , No . 2076 . Tte ledge met at Freemasons' Hall , on Friday , the Slh inst ., when there were present Bros . Kupferschmidt , A . G . S . G . C ; E . Macbcan , I . P . M . ; S . T . Klein , J . W . ; G . W . Spelh , P . A . G . D . C , Sec ; R . F . Gould , P . G . D ., D . C ; G . Greiner , Stwd . ; and the Rev . J . \ V . Horsley . Also the following members of the Correspondence Circle : Bros : VV . G . Poole , R . Palmer Thomas , G . Powell , Rev . Dr . Cunningham , B . II . Brough , Hamon le Strange , P . G . D . ; Rev . A . G . Lennox Robertson , F . VV . Levander ,

W . J . Songhnrst , C . Lewis , F . A . Powell , I-.. C Stimson , G . Bailey , P . G . Edwards , Sir Francis G . M . Boileau , Bart ., G . W . Taylor , R . S . Ayling , J . W . Stevens , J . P . Richards , II . Riley , E . Armitage , J . Moyscy , R . A . Cowan , J . F . Henley . C M . Brander , C Hammerton , C . F . Hogard , P . G . Std Br . ; G . J . Taylor , F . VV . Mitchell , H . E . Herman , H . Newland , Thomas Cohu , A . C Bradley , G . Martin , II . Harris , Milton Smith , and G . B . Davis . Visitors : Bros . S . Ridc-al , 777 ; C S . Ayling , 212 S ; T . B , Fullwocd 2 = ;; and E . J . Turnbull , 1524 .

, The VV . M . having greeted the brethren and wished them all a happy New Year , alluded with feeling to the great loss the lodge had sustained since their last meeting in the death of Bio . Sir Benjamin Ward Richardson , M . D ., F . R . S ., & c , and called upon Bro . R . F . Gould , P . G . D ., who delivered an eloquent oration and tribute to the worth of

Craft Masonry.

h e departed brother , as a man , a scientist , a man of letters , a Mason , and a member of Ii c lodge . The report of the Audit Committee and statement of the accounts of the o dee during the past year was taken as read , and adopted . A telegram from the M . W . G . M . in reply to the one sent him at the last meeting was read . The following four lodges and 59 brethren were admitted to the membership of the Correspondence Circie , viz ., Temple Lodge , No . 31 S ( l . C ) , and Excelsior Lodge , both of Ma , kay , Queensland ; Anglo-Beige Lodge , Antwerp ; and Royal Alfred Lodge , No . S 77 , Jersey ; Bros .

R . S . Rogers , 141 , Melbourne , Victoria ; F . W . Haslam , 2597 , Christchurch , New Zealand ; in Queensland , F . VV . Riley , 2365 , Winton , and J . Kahl , VV . M ., and W . G . Dudley , 2207 , ~ Blackall ; in India , E . C . Dowse , W . M . 22 SS , Sitapur , Capt . C W . Garraway , P . M . 552 , Bengal , G . E . Walker , P . M . 150 , Madras , Lieut .-Col . C . M . Keighley , P . M . i 960 , Rawal Pindi , and Rev . VV . E . Hodgkinson , Singapore ; W . F . Pierce , P . M . iSS , San Francisco , Cal . ; J . Mc . C . Lamberton , W . M . 21 , Concord , New Hampshire ; H . P . Fitz G . Marriott , 5 , Las Palmas ; J . J . Lloyd , 24 S 6 , Florida , South

African Republic ; G . B . Deverux , 61 S ( S . C . ) , Port Said , Egypt ; CM . Block and T . C Jackson , 3 , Rio de Janeiro ; Surg . E . Cooper , 276 , H . M . S . Skipjack ; Rev . H . H . Cooper , Bandon , Cork ; R . K . Clay , Killiney , Dublin ; H . Graham , W . M . 107 , Langholm , Scotland ; J . W . Lambton , P . M . 541 , North Shields ; W . N . Cochrane , VV . M . 1379 , Darlington ; A . Procter , 236 , York ; G . R . Lloyd , P . M . 2231 , and W . O . Rolands , 2387 , Manchester ; W . J . Greenstreet , 702 , Stroud ; T . Ballington , 925 , Birmingham ; D . J . Grant , 11 7 . Shrewsbury ; W . Crosskey , 601 , Wellington ; C . J .

Glasson , 2131 , Ellesmcre ; W . H . Tarrant , W . M . 1703 , Witney ; P . S . Abraham , 2546 ; C . VV . Skinner , 2000 , Theydon Bois ; H . E . Smith , 11 S 4 , St . Leonards-on-Sea ; H . Boyce , 40 , Hastings ; A . Lambert , 1556 , Croydon ; H . P . Hay , P . M . 1627 , Bexley ; Maj . G . A . P . Evans , P . M . 1994 , Tunbridge ; A . C . Bradley , 1507 , Petersham ; W . J . Holloway , 195 , and C . T . Miles , P . M . 2153 , Bournemouth ; and F . Levick , P . M . 404 , W . P . Fuller , W . M . S , H . K . Cheese , P . M . 145 , S . Wales , P . M . 1 S 03 , E . E . Lewis , P . M . 1706 , A . J . Cannon , 1044 , F . J . Allan , M . D ., 176 S , F . J .

Rebman , 2000 , J . P . Leith , P . G . D ., A . D . J . Chinnery , 1366 , R . C . Widdicomb , 1366 , E . C . Wagstaffe , 94 S , G . S . Collins , 1 C 02 , S . Pond , 1266 , J . F . Henley , 2504 , T . L . Miller , 2105 , and E . J . Turnbull , 1524 , all of London . Bro . S . T . Klein exhibited a volume of Dr . Syntax ' s Tour , with a plate of the interior of Freemasons' Hall early in the century and the doctor addressing Grand Lodge at the banquet table . Bro . A . F . Powell exhibited two curious certificates , one of which was hand-painted , and a silver-pierced jewel . Bro . E . C . Lewis exhibited a large leather apron covered with pictures and symbols from an engraved steel plate ; and the

Secretary exhibited three jewels formerly worn by Bro . the Rev . G . A . Browne , being a Royal Arch jewel of old design and his jewels of office as Grand Chaplain and Prov . G . M . for Cambridge and Huntingdon . Bro . G . W . Speth read a paper entitled " Free and Freemason , a Tentative Enquiry , " in which he developed a new theory as to the original meaning of the prefix free . Owing to the late hour , it was impossible to devote much time to the discussion , and the speeches were rigorously confined to three minutes each , but several brethren announced their intention of forwarding their comments in writing , which will appear in the Transactions of the lodge . The brethren then adjourned to the Holborn Restaurant for dinner .

Warrant Officers Lodge , No . 2346 . A regular meeting of the above lodge was held at Freemasons' Hall on Friday , the 15 th instant . The lodge was opened by the W . M ., and the minutes read and confirmed . A ballot was taken for Mr . Thomas Griffiths , a candidate for initiation , and , having proved unanimous in his favour , he was initiated . Bros . A . Crow , W . A . Gilfillan , W . B . Snorter , P . VV . Mitchell , S . Q . Hayman , and J . F . Dewdney were passed , and Bros . 11 . Childs and S . Poole were raised . Bro . A . Molony was elected Treasurer , and two candidates and one re-joining brother were proposed . The lodge being closed , the brethren adjourned for refreshment .

The Craft Abroad.

The Craft Abroad .

Albion Lodge , No . 196 ( E . C ) . The installation meeting of the above lodge ( holding a centemty warrant ) was held at the Masonic Hall , Bridgetown , Barbados , W . I ., on the evening of Wednesday , the 2 nd ult ., a goodly number of members and visitors being in attendance , including Bro . Robert Haynes , Dep . D . G . M . Alter the agenda had been got through , including the passing of a brother and the lecture on the F . C tracing board by Bro . R . J . Clinckett , W . M ., who had been again elected to the chair of K . S . for a second year , he proceeded to invest his officers for the

ensuing 12 months , and , in the course of his address , before closing the lodge , expressed the fervent hope that in the year just dawning peace , love , and harmony would prevail among the brethren of the lodge , which , to use the expressive phraseology of the ritual , should character ' se all Freemasons . To the Masters and brethren of the sister lodges present , he would say that he sincerely trusted that the fraternal concord

which had subsisted betwixt them and that lodge during the past and the present year would be maintained unimpaired in the future , and tendered them a general welcome . Bros . Bryden , VV . M . 2253 , and J . Walton , W . M . 219 G , then respectively replied to the W . M ., and tendered the " Hearty good wishes " of their respective lodges . The alms ' plate was then handed round .

The lodge having been closed , the brethren adjourned to the lower floor , where light refreshments were partaken of . And thus ended a very pleasant Masonic reunion .

CAPTAIN EDWARD MILNER , Scots Guards , and nephew of Bro . Sir F . Milner , Bart ., M . P ., and Evelyn Augusta , youngest daughter of Col . the Hon . Hercules Rowley , were married in St . Paul's , Knightsbridge , on Tuesday , in the presence of a numerous congregation , and later in the day left for Eastwell Park for the honeymoon .

THE AMERICAN AMBASSADOR will visit the Mansion House on Tuesday , the 2 nd March , in order to attend the farewell banquet given in his honour by the Lord Mayor , and on the Thursday following he will dine with the London Chamber of Commerce , this being ' the last occasion on which he will appear publicly in his official character as Ambassador from the United States .

Ad01003

WhatistheBritishWorkman's? It is the Ideal Life Office—The Life Office of the People . WhatitsBusiness? Life Assurance—Ordinary and Industrial . WhattheSecretofitsWonderfulSuccess? The Equity and Liberality of its Terms . Whathasitdone? It has Popularised and Perfected Life Assurance . WhatitsAnnualIncome? It is rapidly approximating ; to HaIf-a = Million Sterling :. WhatitsRank? Though only 30 years old , it stands with respect to Premium Income the tenth in a list of British Life Offices .