The Masonic Mirror.

be done . If there were some who only attended the lodge for a few minutes and afterwards sat down to a banquet , they might be inclined to say that Freemasonry was only a sham , but the sham was not with Freemasonry but with themselves . He had said before , that during the many years he had been amongst Freemasons he had never seen , or did he imagine that there existed anything that was contrary to the law of God or the best interests of their fellow creaturesandthereforehe

, , , could not sit down without recording his testimony in favour of that which was nearly as dear to him as life itself . ( Cheers . )—Some other toasts were given , and the evening was spent in the most complete harmony , being very materially assisted by the musical performances of Bros . Woollams , Wilson , George Forde , and Vernon , and Miss Woollams , a young lady of great promise , to whom reference has already been made .

EUPHRATES LODGE ( NO . 212 ) . —This lodge held its monthly meeting at the Masons' Arms Tavern , Basinghall-street , on Tuesday , the 5 tb inst . Tbe lodge was opened in due form by Bro . C . Sinclair , W . M ., who , after the minutes of the previous lodge were confirmed , initiated Mr . Henry Moore into the mysteries of the Order ; ancl passed into the Fellow Craft ' s Degree , Bros . NugentChapleand Miller . A Board of Installed

, , Masters was then formed , and Bro . S . Watkins , who had been elected on the former lodge night , was installed into the chair , which ceremony was ably and efficiently conducted by Bro . I . Saqui . The new W . M . appointed Bros . Banister , S . W . ; Seager J . W . ; Stern , S . D . ; Stanger , J . D . ; Dobson , Wine Steward ; Tuchmann , I . G . ; Klamm , Treas . ; Coverley , Sec . The biethren retired to a sumptuous banquet , prepared in Bro . Nuttmann's

¦ usual recherche style , and then presented Bro . Sinclair , P . M ., with a gold Past Master's jewel and a superbly chased silver tankard , with a suitable inscription , to mark their appreciation of his services during his year of office , to which he returned his acknowledgment in a neat speech , the usual toasts being responded to . The evening was spent amidst the greatest hilarity , and several most excellent songs , accompanied by the

pianoforte , conducted by Bros . Saqui and Davis in their usual efficient manner , after which the lodge closed in the most perfect peace , harmonj-, and brotherly love . CETSTAI . PAIACE LODGE ( NO . 742 ) . —An emergency

meeting of this lodge was held on Thursday , Jan . 7 th , in the saloon of the Crystal Palace , in consequence of a large amount of business to be disposed of . Bro . E . J . Oliver , W . M ., presided , supported by Bros . R . W . Smith , Purbrook , Thompson , and Palmer , P . M . 's , and several visitors , amongst whom were Bro . Udall , P . G . D . -, Bro . Patten , P . G . D ., and Secretary of the Girls' School ; Bros . Henry Thompson , W . M ., 177 ; Lascelles , P . M ., 72 ; Nicholson , P . M ., 171 ; Hammond , S . W . 201 , & c . After

the lodge had been opened , and the minutes read by Bro . Stuart , who acted pro . tern , as Secretary , the lodge was opened in the second degree , when Bros . Cox , Collings , and Powell , were questioned as to their proficiency in the science , and their answers being considered to be satisfactory , they withdrew . The lodge was then opened in the third degree , and they were respectively raised to the sublime degree of M . M . The next business was the passing of Bro . Swift to the second

degree . The lodge then resumed to the first degree , when it was announced that the following gentlemen were in attendance as candidates for initiation : —Mr . J . Aldons Mays , Mr . George Herbert Bridge , Mr . S . T . Robinson , Mr . William Taylor , and Mr . George Leach . They were successively introduced , and in due form initiated into the privileges of ancient Freemasonry by the W . M ., in a very able and painstaking manner . The lodge wasthen closedand the brethren adjourned

, to the large saloon for refreshment , which was served up in 'Bro . Strange's best style . The cloth having been drawn , the W . M . gave " The Queen and the Craft , " a toast which was very cordially responded to , followed by the National Anthem . The health of the Right Hon . the Earl of Zetland , and that of the Right Hon . the Earl de Grey and Ripon , received all due honours , the latter toast being coupled with the names of Bros . Udall and Patten , Past Grand . Officers . —Bro . UDAM ., in

returning thanks on behalf of the Earl de Grey ancl Ripon , and the rest of the Grand Officers , said he could assure tho brethren that their D . G . M ., as a good Mason , had only the welfare of the Craft at h eart , and it was a matter of surprise how he could spare so large an amount of his time to Freemasonry when they considered the important duties he had to attend to in the Government . He thanked them for the kind way in which they had drank to the healths of the Grand Officers , wishing them happiness and perpetuity to their lodge , and long life to its members . —The W .

MASTER said the next toast he had to propose was always a pleasing one—it was their " Masonic Charities . " Most of the brethren who were then present knew sufficiently what had been done by them in the way of charity . Bro . Udall , who was present , he believed was connected with all of them . He was vice president of them , and a liberal supporter of the Aged Freemasons' Asylum and the Boys' and Girls' Schools . He was also happy to say that they had that night amongst their

visitors Bro . Patten , the Secretary of the Girls' School . He believed that the Girls' School was generally well supported by Masons—perhaps rather better than for the Boys , but both charities were well taken care of and attended to . Unfortunately they had two cases in connection with their own lodge , and the brethren were naturally anxious to support their late Bro . Wood ' s children , a boy and girl , and obtain for them admission into their schools . He gave the toast of " The Masonic

Charities , " and with it" The Healths of Bros . Udall and Patten . " —The toast was well received . —Bro . UDAM _ said it was very pleasant for him to have to return thanks for the charities with which for the greater part of his life he had been associated , and which belonged to their noble Order . He should return thanks for two of their charities , leaving Bro . Patten to acknowledge the toast on behalf of the Girls' School . He should first thank them on the part of the Aged Freemasons' Asylumthe festival

, for which took place on the 27 th of this month , and he hoped the brethren of the lodge would come forward and support their own steward at that festival . This year , by rather a strange coincidence , the festival would take place on the birthday of the Duke of Sussex , and he hoped that by a good subscription on that occasion they would be able to admit all those candidates who had been long knocking at their door . As for the Boys ' Schooltbey had lately put in the foundation for the new

build-, ing , by which they would provide accommodation for 120 boys and a school room and dining room for 200 . On that occasion he asked them to come forward and support that institution , for there was an anomaly in Masonic Charities that was to be found in no other institution , and that was that they had more girls in their schools than boys . He should like to see 180 boys in the school , and should be quite satisfied to keep the girls to 100 in number . He , therefore , asked them to support their charities ,

and knowing the good they had done he could speak with confidence for the future . —Bro . PATTEN said he had a very easy task to perform , not having to solicit them for a steward , as they had already one in Bro . Thompson , and he trusted the brethren would support him at the festival for the Girls ' School . That being his first visit to the Crystal Palace Lodge , he might say the children in the Girls' School were limited to 80 children , causing an expenditure of £ 1 , 500 , but as they had

now accommodation for 20 more they had anticipated the liberality of the Craft by taking in 10 more , ivhich cause an additional outlay of _ SG 00 . It was to the Craft they must look , and if they did not give them the money they could not take in 10 more children , which they desired to do to make up the number to 100 . If they were , on the other hand , well supported , they should be happy to build a new wing to take in 20 more . As Bro . Thompson would represent the lodge as

their steward on the 11 th of May , he hoped the brethren would support him as they had done Bro . Smith on a former occasion . —Bro . H . T . THOMPSON , I . P . M ., said it was most pleasing to have to rise for the purpose of proposing the health of the W . M . of the Crystal Palace Lodge , who had now presided over them for the third or fourth time . They all knew his merits , and at that lodge of emergency he had great pleasure

in proposing his health . The toast was very cordially received . —The W . MASTER thanked the brethren for the kind way in which they had drunk his health , and said if he had given them satisfaction that was a source of great pride to him , and drank the health of all the brethren in return . —The W . MASTER said the next toast was a pleasing one to him as W . M . of tbe lodgewhich was "The Health of their Brother Initiates "

, , and congratulated them upon their entrance into Freemasonry in the Crystal Palace Lodge . —The newly-initiated brethren severally returned thanks for the honour conferred upon them . — " The Health of the Visitors" was then given and responded to . Some other toasts were given , and as time and trains wait for no man or men , the brethren adjourned at an early hour . ROSE O _? DEXMARK LODGE ( NO . 975 ) . —The third regular

meeting of this lodge was held at the White Hart , Barnes , on the 9 th inst . The business consisted of one initiation , two passings , and two raisings . The lodge having been duly closed , the brethren adjourned to banquet under the presidency of Bro .