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lodge for the last six years , and gone through all the minor offices with credit . From what they had seen of his working that evening they might safely conclude that the prestige of the lodge was safe in his hands . He wished him a year of hard work , and that it would be one that would , if possible , cement more strongly the bond of love and harmony that at present , and had for so long , reigned in the

lodge . ( Applause . ) The W . M ., in reply , thanked the brethren most sincerely for their cordial reception of his name . It was very gratifying to him and to the lodge in general , to have to commence so well as they had that night , and while their kind expressions of regard to him would be a source of encouragement for him to go on and and make himself more efficient in his work , they might

depend upon it that he should try all in his power to keep up the strength of the lodge , by introducing such good brethren into it as they had introduced that night . ( Applause . ) He only asked the officers and brethren to support him with the same earnestness and courtesy that they had his predecessors , and then he felt certain that at the end of his year of office the Nelson Lodge would not have

suffered , but rather have increased in strength and usefulness , and kept its hitherto honoured name bright and untarnished before the Masonic world . ( Cheers . ) The next toast was that of "The Past Masters , " . and in giving it the W . M . said it was both gratifying and encouraging to him to see such an array of Past Masters present as they had that night , because it not only

added to the tone of the lodge , but inspired himself and the officers to work well , and be worthy some day of sitting among their honoured ranks . He asked them to drink the toast with enthusiasm . ( Applause . ) After a few remarks from Bros . Wilkins , Bowles , and Norman , Bro . C . Hobson said that he had unfortunately been unable to attend so well during the last year or two as

he should have liked to have done , but for eleven years previously he had hardly ever missed a night's attendance . ( Cheers . ) He was now in a position to attend more regularly ; and , while he felt proud to see such an array of Past Masters present , he trusted it would continue , for , by their hearty co-operation and assistance , the Nelson Lodge would continue to deserve , as it had already acquired , a name for

good working , good attendance , and hospitality , second to none in the district . ( Applause . ) Bros . Butt , Woodley , and Warren also briefly replied . ''The Initiates" was the next toast ; and Bros . Middleton and Tees severally responded . To the toast of " The Visitors " Bro . Syer expressed the pleasure he felt , as the representative of the Union Waterloo Lodge , at being present , and asked the

brethren to return the visit . Bro . Hayes , as an old Mason , was gratified to see the excellent working of the W . M . and his officers , and wished him and the lodge every success . Bros . Farwig , Peake , and Bryan also responded . " The Officers" received a hearty greeting ; and Bro . G . Beaver suitably replied . " The Masonic Press " was complimented , and Bro . Jolly returned thanks ; and then the Tyler's toast concluded the proceedings .

NEW CONCORD LODGE ( No . S 13 ) . —The members of this lodge assembled on Thursday , the 171 I 1 inst ., for an " off night" at the GuilJhallTavern , Greshamstreet , when there were present : Bros . W . Pierpoint , W . M . ; L . C . Haslip , S . W . ; Henry Tiddiman , J . W . ; "Rev . C . Stevens , Chap . ; John Stilwell , Treas . ; R . R . Harper , sec ; Alfred J . Potter , S . D . ; Peter Harnett , J . D . ; J . Boulton , Stwd ; Sampson George , P . M . ; T . J .

Cusworth , P . M . ; F . W . Swales , J . Wicks , brederick Perl , A . Perl , F . M . Wentorn , H . L . Alladyce , H . Millson , W . Potter , C . Weedon , C . Smith , and T . C . Speight , P . M . 27 , P . G . Tyler Surrey , Tyler . The lodge having been opened in form , Bro . F . Mi Wenborn was passed to the Degree of F . C . by the W . M . There being no other business the brethren adjourned to a light supper , and the evening was passed in fraternal amenity .

WHITTINGTON LODGE ( No . S 62 ) . —The annual meeting for the installation of the W . M . of this lodge was held on Monday , at Freemasons' Hall , on which occasion there were present the following brethren Bros . Rob . P . Tate , W . M . ; John S . Brown , S . W . ; A . J . Bolton , J . W . ; Thos . Kingston , Treas . ; James Weaver , P . M . Sec ; Charles E . Packer , S . D . ; | ohn Collinson ,

I . G . ; D . J . Ross , D . C ; W . Hill , Charles Hayward , F . Brown , James Irvine , W . M . Parker , Geo . T . Cox , Sampson Godden , Alfred Moore , P . M . ; H . Brocklehurst , j . Guisnan , Charles H . Pike , Henry Hobden , Frederick France , Aylway V . H . Paunccfort , W . Dcvine , W . Kneel , and Geo . Cox . Visitors : Bros . Col . Shadwell H . Clerke , P . G . ; H . Higgins , P . M . 13 S 1 ; F . A . Burt , 13 ;

R . Larchin , W . M . 1541 ; W . Ansey , P . M . 30 ; W . Vizzard , 1472 ; Thos . Gates , J . W . 1599 ; Howard W . J . Vaughan , 1503 ; John Mason , 1567 , P . P . S . G . D . Middlesex ; J . R . Stacey , W . M . 1 S 0 ; John Jones , S 60 ; S . M . Dodson , P . M . S 60 ; F . C . Hayes , S . D . 619 ; W . G . Dickins , P . M . S 60 ; J . Carnaby , P . M . 13 S 2 ; J . Faulkner , W . M . 1423 ; G . Coop , 1612 ; Irvine Hare , I . P . M . 17 S 0 , P . P . G . P . ;

W . H . Marston , 572 , 1599 , S P . M . J F . R . Callow , 45 ; Henry Turner , P . M . 15 S 9 ; l'hos . Alcock , P . M . 122 S ; J . H . Watts , P . M . 6 3 and 1201 ; W . A . Shaw , 1471 ; H . G . Gush , J . D . 1541 ; Robert Roberts , P . M . 742 209 ; Edward W . Davis , P . M . 95 and 172 ; Jollie Pattison , P . M . 1 G 7 S j A . Hancock , 1541 ; and IT . Massey , P . M . C 19 , W . M . 192 S ( Freemason . )

After the reading and confirmation of the minutes of the meeting held on the 17 th October , Mr . Alyway Valentine Henry Paunccfort was balloted for as an initiate , and unanimously elected . He was then introduced and initiated by the W . M . in faultless style . Bro . John Brown , S . W . and W . M . elect , was afterwards presented to Bro . R . P . Tate , W . M ., and in the same admirable style installed

as W . M . of the lodge for the ensuing year in the presence of a Board of twenty-three Installed Masters . I"he following brethren were appointed to office : Bros . R . P . Tate , I . P . M . ; A . J . Bolton , S . W . ; C . E . Packer , J . W . ; Thomas Kingston , P . M ., Treas . ; James Weaver , •'•M ., Secj T . Richardson , S . D . ; J . Collinson , J . D . ; 1 ) . J . Ross , I . G . ; W . Hill , D . C . ; and J . Gilbert , Tyler . After the delivery of the addresses , Bro . S . Godden , P . M .,

was , on the motion of Bro . Tate , I . P . M ., seconded by Bro . Kingston , P . M . and Treas ., elected as trustee of the Benevolent Fund in place of Bro . C . Walker , P . M ., resigned . Bro . Tate , I . P . M ., took the Stewardship of the lodge lor the next festival of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , and , on the motion of Bro . Weaver , P . M . and Sec , seconded by Bro . A . Moore , P . M ., ten guineas were voted trom the lodge funds to be placed on his list .

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The lodge was then closed , and the brethren adjourned to Freemasons' Tavern to banquet . The usual toasts followed . In giving the toast of " The Pro Grand Master , & c , " the W . M ., referring to the Grand Secretary , said that when the brethren constantly saw in the Masonic papers how Col . Shadwell H . Clerke went here , there , and everywhere , consecrating lodges and chapters , and doing everything he could for the good of Freemasonry , they

must all be pleased that they had such a brother as Grand Secretary . Col . Shadwell H . Clerke , G . S ., in reply , after thanking the W . M . for his complimentary remarks , said the Grand Officers were all ready and active in the dis » charge of their duties . The W . ivl . had , in proposing the health of the G . M ., mentioned that H . R . H . was not able to be often present in Grand Lodge , but the brethren would of course always remember the numerous engagements

their Royal Grand Master had . It was only just to H . R . H . to say , however , that although he was unable to be present at many of the meetings of the brethren , yet he took the very greatest possible interest in the working of the Order . There was scarcely a point beyond the routine business of the Cvaft which he ( Col . Shadwell H . Clerke ) had not to lay before H . R . H ., and on which he did not express his own opinions and decisions . It was entirely a

mistake to think tnat they had only an ornamental Grand Master . It was quite contrary . With reference to the ceremonies of the evening , he had had great pleasure in being present to see both the I . P . M . perform the installation so fluently , and the W . M . so ably follow in his footsteps . He augured from what he had seen that the lodge would become everything its members could desire . Bro . R . P . Tate , I . P . M ., proposed "The W . M ., " a very

dear old friend of his . I hey had gone hand in hand together for the last five or six years both in parent lodges and in lodges of instruction . They had never once missed a meeting of their mother lodge . The W . M . had kept vcry close on his ( Bro . Tate ' s ) heels , so close indeed that he had trodden on them . But he was very pleased that that night he had had the honour of installing him in the chair of K . S . He was sure they

would have a very good Master in the chair . The W . M . replying , said he was very proud to be in the chair . As a rule he thought that all when they were initiated looked forward to occupying that proud position . He was much pleased to follow Bro . Tate , but he was afraid it was a very arduous position to succeed such a Master . Still he had on his left a brother who was well qualified to assist him . It might have been a very easy thing to follow some brethren ,

but there was hardly a brother round the table who did not know what Bro . Tate had done . Still he would do the best he could , and he hoped that time next year to meet with the approbation of all the brethren . Before sitting down he would discharge a very pleasing duty—propose " The Health of the I . P . M ., " and invest him with a Past Master's jewel . The jewel was presented by the lodge as a mark of the brethren ' s appreciation of his services . They had seen

the way in which he had performed his duties that evening —how he had initiated Bro . Paunccfort , and installed him ( Bro . B , rown ) . That was a specimen of the way he had done his work during the year , and the brethren could not do better than present him with a token of their esteem . He trusted that Bro . Tate would live many years to wear it . Bro . Tate , I . P . M ., replied , and said he had been much pleased with the remarks of the Grand Secretary about the

work of the iodge , because that brother was so used to seeing work that he would not have said what he had said unless he had really felt it . He ( Bro . Tate ) was very much delighted at the handsome testimonial presented to him , and he should wear it with a great amount of pleasure . Whenever he looked upon it he should think of the many happy hours he had spent in the lodge , and of the great kindness he had experienced from the highest to

the lowest member of the lodge . He hoped he had settled now among the Past Masters , and that he should receive the same amount of assistance as he had hitherto received . The W . M . then proposed "The Initiate , " who , he trusted , would become one of the shining lights in Freemasonry . Bro . Paunccfort , while thanking the brethren for admitting him as a member of the ancient and honourable Order , reiterated the W . M . ' s hope that he would become a shining

light in I ' reemasonry . If he followed the footsteps of the W . M . he was sure he should . The W . M . next proposed " The Visitors , " and called on Bros . Colonel Shadwell II . Clerke , G . S . ; Alcock , Davis , Mason , and Stacey to reply . Bro . Colonel Shadwell H . Clerke , G . S ., thought he had already occupied the brethren's time long enough , and had thought of proposing an amendment to the W . M . ' s proposition . As , however , the W . M . wished to give the

brethren an opportunity of having a little " talkce-talkee" till late in the evening , he would ask them to excuse him , and pass the duty to the distinguished brethren whom he had coupled along with him . Bro . Alcock said it sometimes went against one ' s conscience to compliment lodges on their working , but the efficiency displayed throughout the evening in the Whittington Lodge , from the Master down to the junior officers , was of such an exemplary character

that it really called forth commendation . The faultless manner in which the Installing Master performed his duties was a credit to the Whittington Lodge and to the Craft in general . The able manner in which the W . Master sustained that portion of his duties which devolved upon him the first night augured well for his year of office . It promised , at all events , that the lodge would not be likely to decay for want of a

shining light to lead and an instructor to teach . He ( Bro . Alcock ) had had a double pleasure that evening , seeing that the Installing Master and the W . M . were personal friends of his own . He had observed them for some time past , and the brotherly bond of Masonic union that held them together—in fact he had frequently in his own mind likened them unto Jonathan and David , whose " souls were knit together , " and he was happy to say that the

union had never been harrased by an hair-brained King Saul . ( Laughter . ) He must tender his apology for having presumed to speak before some of the Gamaliels of the Order , the distinguished men to whom a great deal of credit was due for the vcry able manner in which the work of the Whittington Lodge had been performed ; but it was at all times a pleasure to give honour where honour was

due . Bro . Davis also replied , and referred to the time when he visited the lodge when it was held at the Whittington Club , and at Anderton ' s Hotel . He was glad to see how much it had prospered and strengthened since that time , and become a great ornament to Freemasonry . The last time he visited the lodge it was a vcry hard job to find men who could do the work . To-night , however , there was no

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such difficulty . Bro . John Mason , P . P . G . D . Middlesex , also replied , and after similarly praising the work of the lodge , thanked Bro . Tate for taking the Stewardship of the lodge for the R . M . B . I ., which was a fitting completion of the excellent work he had done during the year . Dwelling more particularly on the work of the institution which he represented , he said that in consequence of the success of the last festival they took on several additional

old people ; but they brought forward a large margin of 59 candidates , and they were new coming in so fast that unless great assistance was given to the institution the demand could not be met . He ' trusted that the next festival would be a great success , and that none of the brethren would hide their light under a bushel , but come forward like Bro . Tate and take upon themselves a Stewardship for this institution . Bro . Stacey likewise replied , and called the

brethren ' s attention to the fact that the excellence of the I . P . M . and the W . M . was due to the fact of their attending lodges of instruction . In these lodges a confidence was acquired which enabled brethren to acquit themselves in their own lodges . To the toast of " The P . M . 's " Bro . A . Moore , P . M ., replied . Bro . T . Kingston , PM ., and

Treasurer , responded to the toast of "The Treasurer and Secretary , " both of whom the W . M . said had filled those offices several years . The toast of "The Officers , " to which each of those brethren replied , and the Tyler ' s toast closed the proceedings , which had been enlivened in the course of the evening by some excellent music .

CITY OF LONDON LODGE ( No . 901 ) . —The annual meeting of this proverbially urbane lodge , which has long maintained the reputation of being one of the most efficiently worked in the metropolis , was held on Monday evening at the Guildhall Tavern , under the presidency of Bro . C . Beaumont , W . M . There was a very large attendance of the brethren , who were subsequently joined by a sprinkling of visitors , and altogether the

proceedings were of a very hearty and unanimous description . The W . M . was supported by Bros . Alfred Ginger , I . P . M . ; George A . Cundy , S . W . ; John Hughes , J . W . ; Henry Darcey , P . M ., Treas . ; Geo . Darcey , P . M ., Sec . ; David Hughes , S . D . ; T . McClelland , 'J . D . ; Henry Harbord , D . C . ; E . D . P . Harris , I . G . ; Ernest C . T . Hand , Org . ; J . Lawrence , P . M . ; W . Lewis , P . M . ; A . Griffiths , P . M . ; H . Dance , P . M . ; John Hoddinott , J . W . FawseA . J .

, Pritchard , D . W . Hughes , R . Pittam Stevens , Geo . Gross , C . Huish , W , R . Haylock , H . Souter , P . Newman , Robt . Diamond , John Vale , Stephen Roberts , George Smith , F . Fade , R . Giilard , Edwin Venner , W . Venner , Geo . Brittan , Henry Bardell , Thomas Hosking , George Olivers , G . Rubardt , J . Balcomb , W . B . Smith , C . G . H . Bisley , W . H . Eascy , Henry Smith , William Little , J . CorkhillH .

Gor-, don , P . J . Walker , P . C . Rogers , K . W . Cundy , Thomas James , Alfred Parker , and J . Woodstock , Tyler . Amongst the visitors were Bros . W . Thomas , 1 S 53 ; f . Timisdale , P . M . 1507 ; G . J . R . Tribbell , W . M . 12 S 7 ; E . C . Massey , P . M . 1297 ; J . Pardoe , 1505 ; George Stur , S 31 ; Geo . Messenger , 1525 ; T . Bramley , P . M . Leigh Lodge j and others .

After the customary rites lodge was advanced , and Bros . Faux and Diamond , having ' replied , satisfactorily to the test questions , were duly passed to the Degree of F . C . by the Worshipful Master , " who performed the ceremony in a most creditable manner . On the lodge being further advanced , Bros . P . C . Rogers and H . Souter were raised to the Sublime Degree , the Worshipful Master delivering the impressive charges in a style that afforded considerable

interest as well as edification to all present . The working was watched throughout with keen and critical interest , and all admitted that in the almost closing act of his official career as ruler of the City of London Lodge Bro . Beaumont displayed the requisite wisdom to discern , and judgment to execute the functions of his exalted post . At the conclusion of the practical work on the agenda , the brethren proceeded to vote for a successor to Bro .

Beaumont as W . Master , and the choice fell unanimously upon Bro . George A . Cundy , who as S . W . had been exceedingly popular , and had earned his prerogative for promotion by the efficient manner in which he had discharged the duties of the minor offices through which he had pas .-ed . The result of the ballot was hailed with the liveliest satisfaction , and Bro . Cundy acknowledged in a few happily chosen sentences the compliment which had

been paid him . Bro . Henry Darcey , P . M . was unanimously re-elected Treasurer , and Bro . •J . Woodstock , Tyler . Lodge was then closed in due form , and the brethren adjourned to the throne-room of the hotel , where a sumptuous banquet had been provided by Bros . Ritter and Clifford , the arrangements , under the personal supervision of Bro . Henry Mills , giving the most unqualified satisfaction . After dessert the usual loyal and Craft toasts were

honoured , the W . M . ' observing it was asourceof congratulation to them to know they had the first gentleman in the land to be the ruler of the Craft , and he felt assured that none were more loyal to the Prince of Wales than were the body of Freemasons of England . In proposing " The Health of the Pro Grand Master , Deputy Grand Master , and other Officers of Grand Lodge , " the W . M . said the City of London Lodge was not often honoured by the preseuce

of Grand Officers at their festivities , but he hoped from the way in which they were progressing , they might soon deserve and receive attention at the hands of the rulers of the Craft . Bro . Alfred Ginger , I . P . M ., in rising to propose the next toast , said when the gavel was given into his charge the brethren well knew the pleasant duty which accompanied it . During the time he had been I . P . M . of the City of London Lodge he had not been absent from one of

its gatherings , and it had ever afforded him the utmost pleasure to propose , as he did to-night , " The Health of the W . M . " He would not detain them by any repeated eulogiums of the brother who had so well held the reins of office in . that lodge during the past year , with the exceptional remark that Bro . Beaumont had gone through the work really better than he had done before , which was proof that the further he went in Freemasonry the better he liked it , and the more was he capable of carrying out his

duties . The W . M ., who was cordially received , said this was the last time on which he should have an opportunity of addressing them from the chair at the festive board , and he should like to take advantage of it to thank them for the very kind manner in which they had supported him during his year of office . He could assure them the City of London Lodge had always been his hobby j he loved the lodge , and he had done all he could to promote its welfare . As in the past , so in the future he should