Craft Masonry.

For "The Past Masters " Bro . J . A . Hammond responded in his wonted genial way , adding a few words by anticipation respecting his duties as Treasurer , wishing that his duties were heavier and that the funds at his disposal were in proportion . Bros . Geary , I . P . M ., S . J . Welford , and Sargeant also spoke in terms fit but few . For " The Initiates , " each of the three newly-made brethren expressed his views of the evening ' s work . The remaining toasts followed .

Durirg the intervals a capital musical programme was carried out . Bro . Luigi Meo gave three violin solos with admirable effect , including a " Reverie , " and variations on " Yankee Doodle" by Vieuxtemps , the latter of which was largely _ rendered in pure harmonies with great delicacy and brilliancy . A bright piece by Papini was also given . Bro . Sinclair Dunn , whose visits have lately been like those attributed to the angels , sang

in his very best form , ' * I trust jou still , " by D . A . Barnard , and "Gae , bring tae me a pint o' wine , " Burns the versatile . Bro . J . B . Sargeant gave his unique rendering of " Simon the Cellarer , " and Bro . Goodworth warbled in his sweetest tenor notes . As usual Bro . Sladdin did yeoman ' s service on the organ and the piano , both as accompanist and solo player .

The Tyler ' s toast came—like the income tax collector's call—before it was expected or wanted , and " Auld Lang Syne , " put in proper form by Bro . Sinclair Dunn , closed the proceedings .

Iris Lodge , No . 2545 . The installation meeting of this new lodge , which was consecrated 12 months since , was held on Monday evening , the 17 th inst ., at the Rainbow Tavern , Fleet-street , under the presidency of its first W . M ., Bro . Lennox Browne , P . D . G . D . C . The meeting was numerously attended . Besides the W . M ., there were present Bros . P . H . Waterlow , P . G . D ., I . P . M . ; George J . Fowler , S . W . ; Paul L . Waterlow , J . W . ; W . G . Holloway , P . M ., Treas . ; T . M . E . Armstrong , Sec . ; H . L . Chaplin , S . D . ; Edgar

L . Waterlow , J . D . ; Charles T . Holloway , I . G . ; Isidore de Sofia , Org . ; Arthur H . Engelbach , Stwd . ; A . F . Howard , P . M ., Robt . More , E . P . Maul , J . Proctor Mountrrioris , Arthur Chapman , Thomas Narston , C . Lyttelton Chubb , W . S . Thompson , Ed . K . Harding , C . H . Knight , and John Murray . Visitors : Bros . Admiral Albert Hastings Markham , Dist . G . M . Malta ; Wm . Fookes , P . M . 2033 ; H . Massey , P . M . 619 and 192 S ; F . G . Mellows , W . M . 2430 ; C . W . A . Trollope , P . M . 1 S 26 , P . P . S . G . D . Surrey ; George A . Pickering , P . M . 20 , P . G . S .: W . J . Fisher , P . M . 2100 ; Wm . Crawford .

171 ; C . Gordon Frazer , 13 S ; Lionel Cooke , S . D . 210 S ; Peter de L . Long , P . G . D . ; J . C . Parkinson , P . G . D . ; A . W . Peckham , P . M . 99 , P . G . S . ; Thomas Christy , P . M . 5 ; and F . H . Cheesewright . Bro . Lennox Browne initiated Messrs . William Beardmore Redfern , Frank Webb , and Henry Stubbings . Bro . Dr . Holloway , Treasurer , delivered the charge most impressively . Bro . Lennox Browne afterwards installed as W . M . for the ensuing year , Bro . George Jefford Fowler , S . W . and W . M . elect , who was presented to him by the acting I . P . M . Bro . Lennox Browne received the collar

of I . P . M ,, and later on was presented with a beautiful Past Master's jewel . Bros . Paul L . Waterlow was invested asS . W . ; H . L . Chaplin , J . W . ; W . G . Holloway , M . D ., P . M ., Treas . ; T . M . E . Armstrong , Sec ; Edgar Waterlow , SD . ; C . Terry Holloway , J . D . ; A . F . Howard , P . M ., D . C . ; Arthur H . Engelbach , I . G . ; Isidore de Solla , Org . ; and Robert More and C . H . Knight , Stwds . Bro . Henry Evenden , P . M ., being unavoidably absent , was not invested as Tyler . Bro . Lennox Browne concluded his year ' s work by admirably delivering the addresses to the W . M ., Wardens , and brethren . Bro . Dr . Holloway produced the Treasurer ' s and Audit Committee ' s report ,

which was eminently satisfactory , as there was a balance at the bankers of £ 40 is . —a prosperous result of the first year ' s work . The brethren then adjourned to a choice banquet , which was succeeded by the usual toasts , interspersed with a superior vocal concert , under the direction of the Organist of the lodge , assisted by Misses Haidee and Blanche de Solla , daughters of Bro . Isidore de Solla ; and Bros . F . H . Cheesewright , I . P . M . 907 ; Kelson Trueman , and Templer Saxe .

Bro . G . J . tcwler , W . M ., prefaced his proposal of the toasts by saying it was one of the by-laws of the lodge that they were to have no speeches . That might appear to be , but it was not actually correct . They had no speeches except from visitors . That was at the ordinary meetings of the lodge ; but at the installation meeting it was different —they had the usual speeches , but they were to be short . He did not know whether that meant shoiter than usual or longer than usual ; but he meant shorter than usual to apply to himself , although not to the visitors , because the Iris Lodge was always pleased

to hear any thing the visitors bad to say . He then gave " The Queen and the Craft . " VAhen that \ ad been kmouctd , he propcsed "The MAV . G . M ., " " and said if there were any young Mascns present who might be under the supposition that the Prince of Wales was merely an ornamental head cf Freemasonry , it would interest them to know that during the 21 years he had been Grand Master he had taken , and he still took , the keer . est interest not only in the three great CharitieF , which were the pride of Freemasons , but in tyerj thing that concerned the Craft . It was the wish of every Freemason that his Royal Highness ' s connection with the Craft might continue as long as he lived .

Bro . Admiral A . Hastings Markham , Dist . G . M . Malta , in responding to the toast of " The Pro G . M ., the Deputy G . M ., and the rest of the Grand Officers , Present and Past , " said it gave him a great deal cf pleasure to be afforded the opportunity of being present in order to wish Bro . Fowler personally his congratulations on his accession to the chair . From what he had heard in the lodge room with regard to the balancesheet , he thought he could offer his congratulations on the success of the lodge , considering it was only 12 months since it was consecrated . But its prosperity was assured

when the brethren placed at their helm Bro . Lennox Browne . He asked to be pardoned for using a nautical phrase , but he had been listening to legal phrases all the evening , and he thcught he would get his profession in too . He was very proud and pleased to think that he , although in a humble capacity , assisted to give birth to the lodge . With regard to the toast , it was one that was always very cordially and warmly received in all assemblies of English Freemasons—and why ? Because everything that the Grand Officers ( excluding himself ) , from the Pro Grand Master and the Deputy Grand Master

downwards , carried out Ihe duties of their respective offices to the very best of their ability , to the best inteiests of the Craft , and to the satisfaction of the brethren . As he had not been limited to time he we uld like to say one word with regard to Grand Officers ' work abrcad . He had just come heme from the performance of his Masonic duties in the Island of Malta . The district of Malta , Masonically , was not very large , but he thought it was doing very good and useful Masonic work , especially among the naval and military brethren , in spite of the difficulties which Masons had sometimes to contend

with—difficulties in the case ef the district he represented which were in a great measure due to the hostility evirced tewaids Freemasonry by the Maltese , caused largely by the domination of an uneducated and therefore bigoted piiesthood . He would give a little instance which had recenlly occurred . Seme three weeks ago he organised and originated an entertainment on a somewhtt large and elaborate scale in order to obtain funds for the English Masonic Clarities . To carry this design to a successful issue he was able to obtain the loan of tie cpera house , a large and fine building , which was kindly

placea at his dispcsal free of charge by the impressaiio , who was not a Maltese but an Italian . He iho allowed two of his prime donne , who had offered their services gratuitously to assist at the entertainment . There was an unprecedented demand for ticketsand there was a promise of a bumper house . On the Sunday they were thrown on their beam er . ds and dumbfounded by the issue of a proclamation or mandate from the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Malta denouncing Freemasonry in no measured teims and threatening to exec mmur icate—whatever that might mean—all who might

lake part in the enleitsinment , either going to it or distributing tickets for it , or having an ) thing to do with the prcgrjmmes or tickets . It also boycotted any milliners who were making diesses for the artistes , and also thnatened to bojcot the opera house manager . The consequence was they were ob iged to abandon the entertainment there ; but , thanks to the kincnessand eivility of the military authorities , another theatre , much smaller , was p laced at his dispostl , and the en ' . eitainment took place and was a great success , notwithstanding the unci aritatle conduct of the | Roman Catholic Archbishop

, an intolerant priesthood , and ihe animosity of the people of Malta . He fnerel y mentioned that to the brethrin in England to show them sone of the hostilities exhibited to the Craft abioad . He concluded by wishing the W . M . a very happy and successful year of office , and congratulating the initiates that they should have been admitted to Freemascnry in a lodge under the rule of a W . M . who promised so well . Bro . J . C . Paikinson , P . G . D ., who was also ca'led upon to reply , said it was hardly

necessary for another Grand Officer to spe ak ifter soeloquent and interesting an address as that the biethren had just listened to . The Grand Office s had not always the good fortune ( 0 be in a hostile community as Admiral Markham had just shown he had been most successfully . Some of them in the past had been able to proclaim the truths of Freemasonry , and even under more disadvantageous circumstances than just recounted . It was his privilege some years ago to hold a special Masonic lodge in the City of Rome ,

Craft Masonry.

where , to the great astonishment of the community , Freemasons assembled to welcome him as an English Mason . At that special lodge speeches were made with an amount of freedom and an admiration of liberty which he believed had not been heard in that sacred city before . He had the honour cf being denounced personally by the orthodox organ of opinion , and it always remained with him a strength and a satisfaction that he was the only English Mason who had the satisfaction of proclaiming the truths of Masonry in that particular city . Pardon personal reminiscences—but the highly in _ teresting anecdote with the preceding speaker rendered so admirably , brought the fart

to his mind ; the Grand Officershad been amply responded for . It was with him a personal feeling of satisfaction to see a new , young , and vigorous lodge starting upon its promising career . Invited by the brother on his left ( Bro . P . H . Waterlow ) , it was a profound satisfaction to him to see two other brethren of Bro . Waterlow's name appointed to office in the lodge . One of the warmest feelings ot a Freemason ' s heart , perhaps , was to see all that he had gone through himself at various times in his life reproduced before him—the kaleidoscope might be shaken , but the primary colours were all there ; and as the ceremonies , one by one , were performed before him , he lived again in the vigour of youth

There was not an incident in a lodge , not a ceremony carried on , which was not the cause of the older Masons feeling their youth renewed—whether it was the sight of the Masonic apron of the initiate or the skilled work of the Past Master who installed—they all felt and appreciated it , as they had all gone through that experience themselves . It was a great satisfaction to see a young barque like the Iris Lodge launched upon such a prosperous career . He must congratulate the lodge upon its Master . It was impassible to mistake the signs and symbols of success . They saw them in that lodge—whether it was in the excellent promise of work which the W . M . had given , or in the music of his

voice , orin the attentive assiduity of his office—they felt that the Iris Lodge had embarked on a long and prosperous career . Bro . Lennox Browne , I . P . M ., in proposing "The W . M ., " said he was going to begin by saying something which was new to three brethren in the room—that when the brethren saw the gavel in the Immediate Past Master ' s hands they would know what toast he was going to propose . In future those three brethren he had referred to would know it was the toast of " The W . M . " He had been , so far as that lodge was concerned , for the last six months getting up and proposing toasts by name only . When he ivas

asked to make a speech in the Iris Lodge , he thought it was a very distinguished feature of the lodge that they did not have speeches ; they had a pleasant evening , thanks to their Organist and numerous musical friends . One of them , he thought , was the W . M , after what Bro . Parkinson had said as to the W . M . ' s voice , as to which they all agreed , and in which they all would agree . He had been asked by a brother that night who the W . M . was , and said some had said he was a barrister ; was he a Q C . ? He ( Bro . Lennox Browne said " no ; but he charms clients just the same . " Bro . Fowler had charmed them in the lodge all the same . The brethren had all an assurance of it that

evening , they saw he knew his work , and that he had all the enthusiasm of youth , and also the level-headedness of an experienced Mason . He need not speak of Bro . Fowler ' s qualifications or his virtues ; he was one of those who were born Masons , he was to all the brethren a dear friend . They were quite sure he would rule the lodge with j udgment and discretion ; they knew he was exemplary in conduct , courteous in manner , easy of address , and they also saw he was well credited . He prophesied for the lodge a distinguished year under Bro . Fowler's Mastership ; it was needless to hope for success , that was already assured . There was but one other qualification necessary

—good health during his year of office . Bio . G . J . Fowler , W . M ., who , on rising to acknowledge the toast was received with general applause , said although his natural modesty compelled him to disclaim , to some extent at any rate , all those very kind attributes with which Bro . Lennox Browne so freely credited him , if it was not presumption , he ventured to infer that the extremely kind manner in which Bro . Lennox Browne had spoken of him and the flattering reception the brethren had given to the l . P . M . ' s remarks , his ( Bro . Fowler ' s ) cccupancy of the chair was not distasteful to the members of the Iris Lodge , for they might believe

that however inefficient he might be in discharging the duties of his office , at any rate he would do his best . For many reasons it was desirable for a brother who reached the chair to have served every office in the lodge from I . G . upwards ; but from the circumstance of his being a founder of the ledge and taking a prominent part in its formation he found himself , from no merits cf his own , now in the chair of the Iris Lodge . If he could not congratulate the brethren on their W . M . he could congratulate the Iris Lodge on the position it stood in that night . They were then celebrating their first birthday , and when they commenced 12 months ago they had 12 members . The membership of

the lodge then , notwithstanding some resignations , was 26 or 27 . They might congratulate thtmselves on that . There was a feature of the Iris Lodge which was very special indeed . They knew it was not a particularly easy matter to get a warrant for a new lodge in London , because there was a feeling that those who wished to join the Craft might go into one or other of the existing lodges ; but he remembered when he saw the Grand Secretary and told him it was projected that the lr ' . ; , Lodge should be composed of brethren who were intimate friends , the Grand Secretary said "That is the kind of lodge his Royal Highness likes to grant a warrant for . " The Iris Lodge was that , and

those who had joined it since were intimate friends of members of the lodge , and the } 1 were all fiiends of every member of the lodge . Let him then pass from that topic tc one more congenial—to ask the brethren to drink with him "The Health of their I . P . M . " It was no exaggeration to say that but for Bro . Lennox Browne there would have been no Itis Lodge in existence ; Bro . Lennox Browne was in every sense the father of that lodge . Bro . Lennox Browne it was , when the idea was suggested , who at once took it up in the most enthusiastic manner , and brought his influence to bear until the

Iris Lodge was a fait accompli . Since then he had done a great development of work in the lodge ; the brethren might judge of him by the way he performed the installation . Bro . Lennox Browne was always punctual in the discharge of his duties , and set the brethren an example in every respect , and if the Iris Lodge went on and prospered as it had , it would be largely due to the work of Bro . Lennox Browne . It was for that reason he asked the brethren to join him in drinking the health of the first W . M ., the Installing Master , and the Immediate Past Master—three single gentlemen rolled into

one . Bro . Lennox Browne , I . P . M ., replied . He would in very few words thank all the brethren for their cordial support during the past year . It was all very well for Bro . Fowler to say that he ( Bro . Lennox Browne ) was the father of the lodge ; but he was present at Bro . Fowler ' s initiation in the St . Alban ' s ( a Grand Stewards' ) Lodge , No . 29 , and he then gave the brethren a measure of what he was when he said lie did not take up Masonry as a plaything . He ( Bro . Lennox Browne ) was glad to be the first Master , for he was told there was p lenty of work . He had initiated 12 in that

lodge , and there had been several joining members also in his year , so the brethren would see there was a raison d ' e tre for the lodge in its inception . He was very prou of all his initiates he had had the honour of introducing—those of whom were now officers , and very promising officers . ' He was very proud also to have installed the W . M . If he was asked to pass and raise the initiates of that evening , he should be ready to do it , but he should not take the work away from the W . M . He had had the warm support of the Treasurer , who was a young Mason , who was initiated by Brc . Dr . Trollope , of Hastings , who was present at the consecration . He saw Bro . Holloway installed in St . Leonard ' s Lodge at Hastings , and they were proud to see Bro . Palmer , the W . M . of

that lodge , then present . Bro . Holloway was an Emulation Lodge of Improvement brother—and here he might say the annual festival of that lodge would be held on the 2 Sth instant , the tickets for which were 5 s . each—and he recommended the brethren to go to it , as they would have " the feast of reason and the ( low of soul , " besides a good supper . He ( Bro . Lennox Browne ) had never worked the tracing b . ards , and had never quite mastered the charge to the initiate . In that respect he had been very fortunate in having Bro . Dr . Holloway , who had never failed to give the chargesor the tracing board . If it had not been for Bro . Dr . Holloway he could not have had such a successful year of office .

Bro . Fowler , W . M ., in proposing "The Initiates , " said it was not necessary in these days to justify Freemasonry , but if it were necessary , it would only be requisite tn point to the three great Masonic Charities , which were collecting between them from £ 60 , 000 to £ 70 , 000 a year . He would tell the initiates that the institution they had joined that day was an ancient institution and a great institution , but it was never so to

grand or powerful for good as it was now , and that placed on brethren the obligation see that those who joined the m were tit and worthy members . They had had strong evidence in favour of the initiates that night ; all of them were personal friends whom he was delighted to welcome ; they had been , as Bro . Lennox Browne had said , Masons at heart ; they were now Masons in fact . Ilros . Webb , Stubbings , and Redfearn briefly responded . ,,

Bros . Palmer , Pickering , and Fooks responded to the toast of "The Visitors ; the Senior and Junior Wardens replied to the toast of " The Officers ; " and the Ty ler s toast followed the last song .