The Happy Hour.

THE HAPPY HOUR .

BY BRO . ROB . MOKRIS , LL . D . From the "Keystone . " On , happy hour when Masons meet , Oh , rarest joys that Masons greet ! Each interwoven with the other , Ancl Brother truly joined with Brother

In intercourse that none can daunt , Linked by the ties of COVENANT . See , ranged about the Holy Word , The Craftsmen praise their Common LORD , See in each eye a love well proven ! Around each heart a faith well woven !

Feel in each hand-grip what a tie Is this whose scope is MASONRY . Best bond ! when broken we would fain Unite the severed links again ; Would urge the tardy hours along , To spend the wealth of light and song ,

That makes the Lodge a sacred spot ; Oh , be the season ne ' er forgot That takes us from a world of care To happy scenes where Masons are !

Notes On The Old Minute Books Of The British Union Lodge, No. 114, Ipswich. A.D. 1762.

NOTES ON THE OLD MINUTE BOOKS OF THE BRITISH UNION LODGE , No . 114 , IPSWICH . A . D . 1762 .

BT BRO , EMRA HOLMES , 31 ° , P-HL , P . Z ., P . MM ., P . E . C ., P . E . P ., P . M . W . S . , Past Provincial Grand Registrar of Suffolk , Past Grand Inspector of Works ( Mark ) , Past Grand Provost , Order of the

Temple , P . P . G . , Bannir-Bearcr Royal Order of Scotland , & c ., &> c , ( Continued from page 18 . ) THE next old Minute Book commences February 7 th 1792 and contains the

, , record of proceedings to June 20 th , 1805 . At the former date Samuel Ribbans was R . W . M . , and concerning William Cavell who is entered as Senior Steward , we find it noted at this meeting that

" this nig ht it was agreed that Bro . Cavell should ever be considered as a Visiting Brother . " For what reason that Brother was put in this enviable position we are ignorant . In the Lodge Accounts we get a good idea of the advantages of our present

cheap postal system , when we find that a letter from the Grand Lodge is charged 8 c ! ., and postage of a letter afterwards is charged Is . 4 d . The Record ( which is at this time very brief of all lodge proceedings ) of a meeting on the 25 th July , 1792 ,

commences , At a Lodge of Festivity this night —< fcc , & c . We should think the brethren must have been jolly dogs at this period , ancl probably much given to holding Lodges of Festivity .

Then , as now the Lodges seem to have been much exercised on the subject of arrears . Scarcely a Lodge night passes but defaulters are named—and once and again we note that Bros . So and So " had

the lenity of the Lodge till next Lodge night , aud then to be summoned for their payment , ancl on their refusal to be subject to the code of Laws . " October 2 nd , 1792 , The Lectures were worked . One would like very much to know how far they differed from the

working of the Lodge of Emulation now . The Lodge met at the Golden Lion , December 4 th , 1792 , when a Bro T . Smith was appointed Master , so says the record , and at the Festival of St . John on the 23 rd December , he wascfecie ^ R . W . M .

This reminds us of Chief Constable Dogberry , in " Much Ado about Nothing , " conducting an examination against his prisoners—* " Masters it is proved already that you are little better than false knaves ; and it will go near to be thought so shortly !"

Perhaps my learned and esteemed Bro . Hughan can throw some light on this proceeding—of appointment first , and election afterwards . At this time we note that

whilst the Master is styled R . W . M ., the S . and J . W . are both styled Worshipful , as is the D . P . M . whoever he might be . At the St . John ' s Festival just mentioned Wm . Middleton , Esq . ( afterwards Sir William ) , P . G . M ., Basil Heron , Esq ., D . P . G . M ., and J . Thompson , M . D .,