India.

INDIA .

( From the Indian Freemasons' Friend . ) CALCUTTA . LODGE HUMILITY WITH FORTITUDE ( NO . 229 ) . —A meeting of this lodge was held on Monday , the 4 th April . The W . M ., Bro . J . B . Gillon , presided , and was supported by Bros . F . Jennings ancl XV . H . Hoff , P . M . 's , while Bros . J . XV . Beatson and E . Symonds filled the chairs in the west and south . Several

other brethren were present ; and among the visitors we noticed Bro . E . R . A . Hoff , who was S . W . of this lodge in 1854 , and is at present a member of Lodge Morning Star at Lucknow . The business of the evening was shown in the summons to be an initiation and a passing ; but it was postponed , and the quarterly report of the Permanent Committee was taken into consideration . After some discussion , relief was granted to the widows of two Masons . The meeting was rendered peculiarly

interesting by the circumstance ( unfortunately for the lodge ) that several of the members were about to leave Calcutta , ancl that they had met for the last time until it should please the Great Architect of the Universe to bring them together again . Among those who were thus about to part was Bro . Jennings who had steadily supported the lodge for many years . He had obtained leave from the Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal to proceed to Englandand as it appeared a fitting opportunit

, y for the brethren to make some demonstration in recognition of his services , Bro . W . H .-Hoff himself hound for Simla , who had been temporarily entrusted by the Master with the hiram , called upon the brethren to charge their glasses , and addressed them iu the following terms : — " Brethren , —I am perhaps the Avorst person in the world to undertake the task of rousing enthusiasm in others by an eloquent speech ; but on the present occasion I am favoured by two circumstances , which will

compensate for all deficiencies . In the first place , I am fortunate in the subject of my remarks , and feel myself in the position of some author like Robert Montgomery , who , in choosing some such mighty personage as Satan as the hero of the poem , knows that he commences with a great start in the race for sublimity , which he would not have if bis dramatis persona consisted only of such prosaic individuals as Ben Battle and Nelly Gray ( whose luckless fate has just been sung so dolefully to us by the brother

to my right ) . Comparing great things with small , the subject of my remarks is to this lodge what the how-wow heroes of history are to the world at largo ; and he is regarded by the members of the lodge with a degree of interest which ensures a hearty reception of the toast I am about to propose . What need , therefore , for eloquence ? I allude to our Right Worshipful Bro . Jennings . ( Loud applause . ) The second cirsuinstance hy which I am favoured isthat there is onlone in this

, y person room who knows more about Bro . Jennings' Masonic career than I , and that is Bro . Jennings himself . It is for this reason , I think , that the W . M . has entrusted the hiram to me , instead of retaining it himself for this particular duty . Bro . Jennings became a Mason in the year 1843 , and of those who thronged the lodges at that time , he is , perhaps , the only one now remaining in active connection with the

Craft in Calcutta . Bros . A . Broome , Dr . F . J . Mouat , and V . II . Sehalch are also Masons of old stamp ; but thay are not now actively connected with the Craft . Such are the fluctuations of society in India ; whereas in England it is not an uncommon thing to find brethren who have been members of a lodge for forty and fifty years . I have myself known Bro . Jennings since the year 1848 ; and there are three circumstances

connected with his Masonic career Avhich I wish to bring specially to your notice . In the year that I became acquainted with him , I was about to proceed to the upper provinces , and was anxious to take my third degree ; but the master of my lodge ( the weakest in Calcutta , which was the reason that my father got me to join it ) was prevented by sickness from conferring it upon me . In this emergency , Bro . Jennings , at that time Master

of the Anchor ancl Hope , the strongest lodge in Calcutta , came to our aid , and completed that which made me a perfect Craft Mason . That is a sufficient reason why I should ever hear him in recollection . Some years afterwards , when my father became Master of this lodge for the sixth or seventh time , and the lod ge was in a very attenuated state . Bros . Jennings and Monteith promptly strengthened his hands by having themselves transferred from the list of honorary to that of subscrib-Mg members . That is a very gratifying circumstance for me and my brother , Edward Hoff , here present , to remember . Some

India.

years passed by , and , during the mutiny , I became Master of this lodge ; hut I had not held the hiram more than one month when I had to proceed again to the upper provinces , leaving the lodge in an exceedingly weak condition . When I was about to return to Calcutta I was asked whether I would stand for re-election . But I had heard that Bro . Jennings considered it a greater object of ambition to be the Master of tlr . it weak lodge than of any other lodgeancl it struck me very forcibly that a

, brother who would take up the hiram in such a spirit was more likely than any one else to promote its interests . I declined to stand for re-election , and when I returned to Calcutta I found the lodge flourishing under the hiram of Bro . Jennings , and that men like our late Bro . Henry and our highly-esteemed Bro , Knight were members of it . To them also we owe the amiable and modest brother who now holds the hiram .

Brethrenwith-, out further preamble , I call upon you to drink to the health of Bro . Jennings , with the expression of our hope that he mayreach England in safety and return to us in renovated health . The toast having been drunk with all the honours , Bro . Jennings rose ancl returned thanks for the compliment which had been so unexpectedly and cordially paid to him . The health of the Worshipful Master Avas proposed by Bro . Jenningswho

, hoped he would walk in the steps of his worthy predecessors , especially of Bro . J . J . L . Hoff , on whom he passed a high eulogium . The W . M . himself proposed the health of his officers . LODGE INDUSTBY AND PERSEA ' ERANCE . —Regular meeting holden on Friday , the 18 th March , 1864 , at the Scotch Masonic

Hall , No . 10 , Sudder-street . Presiding , Bro . John William Brown , I . P . M . The absence of the W . M ., owing to domestic affliction , was alluded to by Bro . Brown , and the Secretary was requested to record the regret of the brethren . Messrs . P . Dermomet and A . Willes were elected by ballot , and the latter being present , was initiated by the presiding Master . Bro . John P . Pierce , initiated some time back , was passed to the Craftsman's decree hy Bro . Powell . The presiding Master spoke

in feeling terms of the lamented death of his Grace the Duke of Athole , Grand Master Mason of Scotland . Bro . Brown's remarks were followed by an address from our esteemed Past Master , Bro . C . T . Davis , aud it was resolved that an expression of deep regret , on the death of the duke , should be recorded . Bro . Baker , a Scottish Mason , one of the earliest members of the AVorshipful Lodge Saint David in the East ( No . 371 of Scotland ) in acknowleding this tribute to departed merit . said

, g , he would take an early opportunity of informing his lodge of what lie had just witnessed . LODGE SAINT JOHN . —A meeting of this lodge was held at No . 10 , Sudder-street , on Saturday , the 26 th March . E . XV . Pittar , W . M . The following candidates were initiated : —John Alexander Imlay . and William Edward Taprell . Bros . A . L . Briant and J . P . Pierce were raised to the third degree , the

latter on account of the sister Lodge 109 . Bro . C . Collingwood , of Lodge 371 of Scotland , was elected a member , ancl Bro . A , R . Hall , H . M . 57 th Regiment , Avas proposed for election at the next meeting .

Public Amusements.

PUBLIC AMUSEMENTS .

ROYAL GALLERY OF ILLUSTRATION . Iu addition to "The Pyramid" ancl "The Bard and his Birthday , " now too Avell known to require any further notice , a very admirable little piece has been added to the repertoire of this delightful place of amusement—Mr . John Parry ' s new descriptive story entitled the " Sea-side ; or Mrs . Roseleaf Out of Town . " The materials of this trifle are not very astounding , but the introductiona saline symphonycomposed of the

follow-, , ing marine melodies , " 0 , 'tis pleasant to float on the sea , " " What are the Wild Waves saying ? " " Over the Sea , " " The Deep , Deep Sea , " " The Sea , " " The Bay of Biscay , " " Sailor ' s hornpipe , " & c , enables Mr . Parry to display his powers as a pianist , and to delight his audience . His representations of Colonel Roseleaf , Florence ( aged five and a half ) , the Cat , Mrs . Lucker , the bathing woman , and , indeed , of the motley

population which generally abounds at bathing places , is inimitableall done ( excepting in the case of the organ-man and his monkey ) without change of dress or leaving the stage . Mr . Parry represents a dozen individualities in his own dress-coat , black trousers , and boots , relying solely on his facilities for varying voice , and suiting himself to the peculiarities of the several parties represented , and it is scarcely necessary to say with what immense success . This little trifle is a great success , ancl adds greatly to the attractions of the Gallery of Illustration