Table Of Contents.

TABLE OF CONTENTS .

REPORTS OF MASONIC MEETINGS : — Craft Masonry 689 Royal Arch 690 Mark Masonry 690 Ancient and Accepted Rite 690 Red Cross of Constantine 690 Centenary Banquet of the Lodge of Fortitude , Truro C 91

Presentation to Bro . G . B . Adams 691 Masonic Tidings 691 Opening of the Masonic Hall at Philadelphia 692 The Future of Freemasonry in Ireland 693 Provincial Grand Lodge of Norfolk 694 . Provincial Grand Lodge of Jersey 6 95 CORRESPONDENCE : — Spiritualism 6 95

St . Mark ' s Church , S . Shields 6 95 Resuscitation cf a Chapter in Paisley 6 9 6 Freemasonry in the West Indies 6 9 6 Obituary 607 Masonic Notes and Queries 6 97 Royal Masonic Institution for Girls 6 97 Lodge Meetings for next week 6 97 Advertisements 6 S 7 688 692 6 9 S

Reports Of Masonic Meetings.

REPORTS OF MASONIC MEETINGS .

Craft Utasom-ir . MARGATE . —Union Lodge ( No . 127 ) . —On Friday evening , the 17 th inst ., this lodge met at the King ' s Head Hotel , High-street , Margate , the chair of K . S . being occupied by the W . M ., Bro . Alfred Wootton , Prov . G . S ., who was supported by his officers , Bros . E . H . Thompson ,

S . W . ; G . Harnett , J . W . ; T . M . Compton , I . P . M . ; Bro . Brasier , P . M . ; Smith , Wallace , Aubrey , Matthews , Spurrier , Trewe , Chancellor , Searle , and others . The lodge having been opened in due form , the minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed . M . Alfred

Style being present , was then initiated into the mysteries and privileges of antient Freemasonry . The ceremony of initiation was most beautifully and faultlessly rendered by the W . M ., assisted by Bro . Aubrey on the harmonium , and it is seldom we ever witnessed the ceremony of initiation

performed more impressively than by the W . M ., and the members of the lodge ought to congratulate themselves on having so efficient a Master as Bro . Wootton . After the lodge was closed Bro . Smith , at the request of the W . M ., gave the charge after the initiation to the newl y initiated brother , which was listened to with the

greatest attention , and at its conclusion Bro . Smith was greeted with a burst of applause from the entire lodge for his faultless delivery of the charge . The visitors present were . —Bros . J . T . Moss , P . M . 16 9 , 1326 , W . M . 142 ? , Z . 7 . 3 , Prov . G . S . D . Middlesex , F . Adlard , P . M . 7 ; Saunders , W . M . 887 ; Wells , 86 .

IPSWICH . —St . Luke ' s Lodge ( No . 225 ) . —The usual meeting of the St . Luke ' s Lodge was held at the Masonic Hall , Ipswich , on Wednesday , the 15 th inst ., when a goodly number of the brethren were present , amongst whom were : — Bros . A . Gam man , W . M ., Prov . G . S . B . ; N .

Tracy , P . Prov . G . S . W . ; S . B . King , P . Prov G . D . C , Secretary , G . S . Findley , P . Prov G . D . C , ; and several other members of the lodge Bro . Emra Holmes , Prov . G . Reg ., and S Wright , S . W . of the British Union Lod g < attended as visitors . There had been an

initiation , passing , and raising on the lodge summons , but neither of the candidates had Deen able to attend . Bro . N . Tracy , therefore , in order that the brethren should be profitably employed gave the lecture on the tracing board appertaining to the first degree which was much

appreciated by the brethren present , as that able brother is one of the most expert Craft Masons in the province , and holds the office of Preceptor jointly with onr learned brother the Rev . R . N . Sanderson ( without doubt the most distinguished Mason in Suffolk ) of the Perfect Ashlar Lodge

of Instruction recentl y formed in connection ¦ with the British Union Lodge . The routine business of the lodge having been completed the brethren retired for refreshment . Bro . Gamman presided at the banquet and' proposed in due course " The Queen , " " The Grand Master" and

Reports Of Masonic Meetings.

the other customary toasts . Bro . N . Tracy responded for the Past Provincial Grand Officers , and Bro . Emra Holmes for the present holders of office in the province . Bros . Churchyard , Holmes and others , contributed to the harmony of the evening , and the brethren separated before twelve , after enjoying a very pleasant social hour .

LEICESTER . —St . Johns Lodge ( No . 279 ) - — The working of this lodge , after the summer recess , was resumed on Wednesday , the 1 st inst . Bro . Clemont Stretton , P . G . W ., W . M .,

ever zealous in the discharge of his important duties , had taken a special run from Brighton , in order to preside . There were also present Bros . E . J . Crow , I . P . M . ; A . Palmer , S . W . ; J . W Smith , J . W . ; W . Weare , Treas . ; J . M .

M'Allister , Sec . ; G . W . Statham , S . D . ; C . E . Stretton , J . D . ; S . Tebbutt , Org , ; Rev . J . H . Smith , Chaplain ; S . S . Partridge . Prov . G . S . ; F . A . Wykes , Sec . 523 ; and E . Mason , 1391 . Owing to an unfortunate accident to one of the candidates , and the unavoidable absence of others ,

the ordinary business set forth in the agenda could not be transacted . The W . M . therefore embraced the opportunity to impart instruction to those present who had recently devoted themselves to our ancient , and honourable Order , by the further elucidation of those secrets which

consist in the exercise of every social , and moral virtue , not only in their ostensible actions of our conduct , but also in private life , our latent springs being science and truth , our Craft reason and good sense , our plots and contrivances sincerity and benevolence , and our revenge against our enemies—as Pythagoras tells uslabouring to convert them into friends .

SPHINX LODGE ( NO . t . 329 ) . —The usual meeting of this lodge took place on Saturday , Oct . nth , at the London Bridge House Hotel , when in the absence ot the W . M ., Bros . Forbes and Williams were raised by Bro . Hyde , P . M . The ceremony of consecration was then proceeded

with , and Bro . Viner Bedolfe , AI . D ., the W . M . elect . wasduly installed into the chair of the lodge , and the charter or warrant committed to his keeping for the ensuing year . The ceremony was very ably performed by Bro . P . A . Nairne , Hon . P . M . of the lodge . The new W . M . immediately

proceeded to invest Bros . Vorkins , Sugden , Abbott-Dunbar , and tlie other officers , with their respective collars , after which three candidates being proposed , and the usual business transacted , the brethren adjourned to partake of the wellknown hospitality of the Bridge House Hotel .

Since the previous meeting the lodge has had to mourn the death of its chief ornament , Bro . Thomas , and the " Thomas Memorial Fund " was responded to b y brethren of the lodge . The excellent Treasurer , Bro . Reynolds , also by the application of that old instrument of torture .

the charity box , succeeded in extracting some pounds from the members' pockets on behalf of the " distinguishing" virtue . The Masonic Hall Company was well represented on the occasion by Bro . Stevens , W . M . Great City Lodge , and Bro . Larlham , both directors of the

company , whilst the acceptance of the office of Architect to that proposed institution by Bro . E . Clark , P . M ., P . G . Sup . of Wks . Middlesex , was felt to be very satisfactory , both out of respect to him , and as a pledge that under his able and business like management , it would be carried to a successful issue , for it is to the

persevering influence of Bro . Clarke , as founder and first W . M ., that the Sphinx Lodge owes much of the success which attends it at the present day . Healths were dul y given and harmony prevailed , when the brethren , in obedience to the retarded Tyler ' s Toast , and like Gray ' s . Ploughman , plodded their homeward way leaving the world to its " darkness . "

COLCUKSTEK—Si . Edmund ' s Lodge , ( No . 1008 ) . —The first monthly meeting of the Royal St . Edmund ' s Lodge , 1008 , since the summer recess , was held at the Angel Hotel , on Wednesday 8 th . inst . The meeting possessed unusual

interest , as on this occasion a rery handsome testimonial , consisting of an elegantly chased silver salver , weighing forty-four ounces , and a purse of 30 guineas ,. were presented to the Secretary of the Lodge , Bro . W . H . Lucia . The testimonial was the result of a subscription set

Reports Of Masonic Meetings.

on foot among the members , and there were over 70 contributors . The presentation was made by the W . M ., Bro . W . W . E . Bailey , who alluded to the great services which Bro . Lucia had rendered in the cause of Freemasonry since his initiation into the- Craft in 1845 . *

conjunction with Bro . Diver lis succeeded in resuscitating Lodge 100 at Yarmouth , and afterwards served as its Master . During the time he had the honour of filling the chair in that Lodge , he formed one of a deputation who waited upon Bro . B . B . Cabbell to request him

to take the vacant Grand Mastership of Norfolk . They were successful in their object , and Bro . Cabbell is still the highly esteemed Grand Master of the neighbouring Province . On Bro . Lucia ' s removal to Bury , he , rinding that there was then no Masonic Lodge in the town , exerted

himself , with a few other brethren , to establish one , and the result was the consecration of the Royal St . Edmund's Lodge , 1008 , which has since prospered exceedingly , and is now one of the largest and most influential in Suffolk . Bro . Lucia took pleasure in visiting neig hbouring

lodges , and his exertions in the cause of Freemasonry were rewarded by the offer of . the chair of the J unior Warden of the Province , which he accepted , and filled for the exceptionallv long period of three years . On the retirement of Bro . Marriott , tiro . Lucia was appointed P . G

Secretary , an office which he still holds with the greatest credit to himself and the satisfaction of the brethren . He has also acted as Secretary of the Royal St . Edmund ' s Lodge , ever since its foundation , and has twice passed the chair . It was as some acknowledgment of these long and

varied services that this presentation was made by the brethren of his Lodge . The salver bore the following inscription : — " Presented , with a purse of thirty guineas , to Bro . W . H . Lucia , Past Master 100 and 1008 , Past Prov . G J . W ,, and Prov . G . Sec . Suffolk ,

and Sec . 1008 , by the Brethren of the Royal St . Edmund ' s Lodge , 1008 , as a mark of their appreciation of his exertions for the establishment of the Lodge , and of his lengthened and valuable services in the cause of Freemasonry . Bury St . Edmund ' s , 8 th October , 1873 . " •¦

HAMPTON . —Era Lodge ( No . 1423 ) . —The brethren of this lodge met on Saturday , 1 ith inst ., at the King ' s Arms Hotel , Hampton Court . In the unavoiaable absence of the W . M .,

Bro . J . T . Moss , P . Prov . G . D . Middlesex , Bro . F . Walters , P . M ., Sec , P . G . Steward Middlesex , opened the lodge , and presided over the meeting . The Rev . Bros . M . Holden , P . M . 907 , and Bro . J . H . Milburn , 80 , were elected joining members . All the

candidates were unanimously elected , and as no one in this Province can be ballotted for and initiated at the same meeting , the initiations were deferred until December , which will' be the next regular meeting . The raising of Bros . J . H . Milburn , and E . G . B . Holder , of Lodge

No . 673 , to the third degree was most ably performed . The Rev . Bro . Holden , P . M ., was unanimously recommended to the office of Provincial Grand Chaplain in 1874 . Bro . S . Woolf was elected Steward to represent the lodge at the forthcoming festival of the Boys '

School , in March , 1874 . Notice of motion was given to vote ten guineas from the lodge funds for a testimonial to Bro . J ohn Thomas Moss , for services rendered to the lodge . Several candidates were proposed for initiation , and the lodge was closed in due form . The

brethren then adjourned to refreshment , after which Bros . J . H . Milburn , E . G . B . Holder , and others , greatly contributed to the evening ' s enjoyment by some capital songs and recitations . There were present Bros . H . A . Dubois , P . G . Steward Middlesex , S . W . ; J . W . Baldwin ,

J . W . ; Rev . J . M . Vaughan , P . G . Chaplain , Middlesex , P . M ., Chaplain ; E . H . Thiellay , S . D . ; J . Baxter Langley , l . G . ; A . F . Loos , S . Woolf , and others . Amongst the visitors were Bros . W . Smeed , P . Prov . G . W . Middlesex , P . M .: H . C . Abraham , ind E . G . B . Holden .

DAWLISH . —Salem . Lodge ( No . 1443 ) . —Such of our readers as follow the reports of proceedings in Devonshire will remember that in August a meeting of Prov . Grand Lodge was held at Dawlish , when the Salem Lodge was