Metropolitan.

METROPOLITAN .

NEW CONCORD LODGE—No . 813 . —The members of this Lodge of Instruction met on AA ednesday evening , April 3 rd , to discuss a proposition setting forth the desirability of changing the place of meeting to a more central position in the City . Bro . T . G . Hodges , S . W . 1695 , AV . M . ; Bro . L . C . Haslip , P . M . 813 , Preceptor . After considerable

discussion the proposition was withdrawn , and a motion was put to the meeting , and carried , to the effect that no change is desirable . The lodge will , therefore , meet as usual every AVednesday evening at 8 o ' clock , at the Jolly Farmer ' s Tavern . Southgate Road , N . Bros . L . C . Haslip , P . M . 813 , Preceptor ; C . AVeedon , P . M . 813 , treas . ; R . Heslop , 1695 , sec .

The fifteenth anniversary of the Ivy Lodge , No . 1441 , was held at the Surrey Masonic Hall , Camberwell New Road , on the 26 th ult ., Bro . F . J . Eedle , AV . M ., presiding . There being three candidates for raising , Bro . Eedle performed that ceremcny , and then installed the W . M . elect , Bro . Dr . J . Brindley James . The newly-installed master having invested his officers , initiated four gentlemen who

were candidates for admittance to the craft , and performed the ceremony in a style that gave great satisfaction to everyone present . The auditors' report showed a good balance in favour of the lodge , and that 25 guineas had been paid to the Benevolent Institution . The I . P . M ., Bro . Eedle , having announced his intention of standing as steward at the forthcoming Girls' School Festival , a

sum of 25 guineas was voted from the lodge funds for him to take up . The Ivy Lodge P . M . jewel was presented to Bro . Eedle , also a P . M . collar , with silver emblem of office , as a remembrance of the particularly successful term of office enjoyed by him . The banquet was served in the Pillar Hall , and the evening was enlivened by songs from Madame Thomas and Miss A . Gragg , and recitations by Bro . P . M . Reynolds and other brethren .

The fifteen sections were admirably worked in the Beaconsfield Lodge of Instruction , No . 1662 , AValthamstow , on the 3 rd inst ., when a large number of brethren from the AVarner , Loyalty , Israel , and other lodges attended . AV . Bro . J . Finder , P . M . 1662 , presided

as Section Master , and was supported by AV . Bros . Fred . Carr , P . M . 1607 , S . AV . ; T . Franklin , P . M . 1662 , J . AV . ; and AV . Shurmur , P . M . 1471 , I . P . M . The arrangements made by Bro . Ffrench Bromhead , 1662 , the hon . sec , for the reception and accommodation of members and visitors were perfect .

The fifteen sections were worked in the Nelson Lodge of Instruction , on the 2 nd inst ., at the Royal Mortar Hotel , Beresford Square , Woolwich , AV . Bro . J . G . Milbourn , P . M . 13 , presiding as Section Master . Bro . AV . Martin , P . M . 879 , officiated as S . AV ., and Bro . E . C . Talbot , 1310 , as J . AV . A very instructive evening gave general satisfaction to a large number of brethren who attended .

The Egerton of Tatton Lodge of Mark Masters , No . 400 , was consecrated in the Masonic Temple , at 8 a . Red Lion Square , London , on the 29 th ulto ., by Bro . C . F . Matier , P . G . AV ., assisted by Bros . Col . Shadwell ; H . Gierke , P . G . AV . ; F . A . Philbrick , Q . C . ; Rev . Hayman Cummings , R . Berridge , AV . A . Barrett and C . H . Driver . Bro . Belgrave Ninnis , the AV . M . designate Mas installed into the chair of

A . The brethren dined together at the Holborn Restaurant after the close of the lodge business . The Grand Festival of the United Grand Lodge of England will be held on AVednesday , the 24 th inst ., at Freemasons' Hall , at 6 p . m ., the M . AV . Pro . Grand Master , the Right Hon . the Earl of Carnarvon : n the chair . Full Masonic Craft Clothing is to be worn

Bro . Benjamin Banks , a founder of the Beadon Lodge , No . 619 , claims a connection with Freemasonry extending to sixty years , he having been initiated in the Universal Lodge , now No . 181 , in March , 1829 . Our worthy brother has been associated with the Freemasons' Tavern , London , for nearly fifty years .

The Grand Treasurer Elect , AV . Bro . Edwd . Terry , P . M ., P . G . S ., was entertained at a complimentary dinner given by the Savage Club Lodge , at Freemasons' Tavern , London , on the 9 th inst ., to congratulate him on his election . Bro . Thomas Catling , the AV . M ., presided , and in proposing Bro . Terry ' s health , referred to the extraordinary amount of support that brother had received , and

gave the statistics of the voting in each year since the gift of the office had been in the hands of the general body . In 1884 the Grand Treasurer was elected by a show of hands ; in 1885 the number of votes recorded was 1 , 260 ; in 1886 it fell to 749 ; in 1887 there was a severe contest when Bro . Eve was elected , and the number of vites then reached 1 , 227 ; in 1888 the number fell again to 809 ; so that it would be seen in the present year , when Bro .

Terry had been successful , the votes , 1 , 458 , had exceeded those in any former year . BRIXTON LODGE—No . 1949 . —A very successful meeting of this lodge was held on Saturday last , at Brixton Hall . Bro . A . E . Albert , AV . M ., presided , and was assisted by Bros . C . J . Axford and R . Poore , P . M . ; II . Lovegrove , P . M . and sec . ; AV . Kirkland , treas . ; and a number of members and visitors . The three ceremonies were worked in their entirety .

Bro . Henry Lovegrove , P . M ., P . Z . 30 , has secured another appointment . He is one of six surveyors elected by the School Board for London to perform certain duties .

Press Exchanges And Books Received.

Press Exchanges and Books Received .

> VAdmiralty and Horse Guards Gazette ; Freemason ' s Chronicle , Sydney ; Freemason ' s Calendar for Somersetshire , Compiled by Bro . C L . Fry Edwards , Chronicle Office , Bath ; Freemason ' s Calendar for Oxfordshire , AV . R . Bowden , High Street , Oxford ; Masonic lleview , Cincinnati ; South African Freemason ; Society .

" POINT—LEFT—EIGHT ''—( Crowded out ) .

Gleanings.

GLEANINGS .

By the way , why do Masons scramble in and out of lodge > like school boys 1 How much better it looks to see them formed up in an orderly manner in the ante-room , and taking their places to the music of a well-played march . Freemasonry has no use for " idlers by the wayside . " Its hive of industry is replete with work for all its votaries , and none 'arc to be exempt ere they are called to the Grand Lodge above .

SWARMING . —Observing the operations of nature . we find that our tiny friends the bees , to us the symbol of industry , when by numbers they are pushed for room , ' swarm off . " This operation often takes place in a Masonic Lodge room , and when the swarm is a legitimate

one , all is well ; but when it is the result of a dissatisfied minority , and the operation is attended with some unpleasantness , then it is a misfortune , and it becomes a moot point whether the handful of dissentients should be allowed to set up shop for themselves on such very doubtful capital . —Xcw Zealand , Masonic Journal .

AAANT OF PUNCTUALITY . —AVant of punctuality m opening the lodge-room is a grave fault . Masters should open in time so as to be able to close the lodge at a seasonable hour . In this respect Masons should take a lesson from business men . Another cause of non-attendance is the incompetency of some masters—men not possessing sufiicent love of Masonry , brains or application to get up

the work or perfect themselves in the literature of the craft so as to make the meetings of the lodge more attractive and enjoyable . Some may say we expect too much ; we will be satisfied if we get for a master one who can render the ritual correctly , who although not a strictly moral man in every sense of the word , is still a good fellow , and will be sure to attract jovial fellows to the lodge . Unfortunately

for such arguments , your jovial fellow in the general acceptance of the term is not intended for Masonry , nor is Masonry intended for him . He never obtains a proper idea of the mission of Masonry . He joins for tho good time he expects to have . His Masonic principles and aspirations are situated in his stomach , and if he cannot find sufficient attraction in this line in the lodge he will leave it and the lodge will be the better for his absence .

THE MASTER . —The Master is the leader of his lodge . He is to direct its affairs . He is to preside over its meetings . He is to initiate and instruct the uninitiated and ignorant . From the East must emanate the light that will either flood the whole lodge with glory or becloud it with fog . A good Master will " let his light so shine that others , seeing his good works , may glorify his FATHER

who is in heaven . A Master should be an example to his brethren . A wide-awake presiding officer , one really in love with his position because of the good he can do , will sure to have a wide-awake lodge , with an abundance of helpers in every good work . A Master can make or destroy his lodge . His duty is to use his best endeavours to build up his lodge , to make it a home where the

family may gather in glad reunion , and where the needy member may feel that he has really a loving kindred who will see that he suffers not in . the inclement blasts of life . The office of Master of a lodge is one of great importance , one of honour , one of dignity , one of responsibility . He only is honoured in it who honours the office , presiding with dignity , dispensing charity with a loving

hand , visiting " the widow and fatherless in their affliction , " and disseminating true Masonic light with a royal splendour . He who does this may retire from the office with the reflection that he has done what he could . No one should consent to assume the position without counting the cost . To properly fill the Master ' s chair ,

means work , much work ; thought , much thought ; time , much time ; love , much love . Let him who thinks himself able to discharge the duties think well before he undertakes it . Better be a private , an humble , private member , unseen and unknown , than to be elevated to the highest station and fail to fill the office properly . —Sunda y Times , Xew York .

IT is well known that AVilliam I . was originally of most arbitrary and despotic spirit and temp 3 i - ament . His accession to the throne was received with trepidation and alarm . History knows how just and humane a monarch he became . It is my belief , easy to jirove from his Masonic record , that the principles of Freemasonry and the fraternal intercourse with his brethren softened the rigor of his

natural temper and made him generous , sympathetic , and humane . Frederick III . was every inch a Freemason . The tenets and philosophy of Freemasonry filled every part of his being . In his life and by his death he exhibited its grandest virtues and illustrated its most beautiful lessons . " In sorrow fidelity proves itself and fidelity is the core of honor" , he said at a Masonic gathering

responding to a toast in honor of the dead . Frederick received the symbolic degrees in presence of his royal father , then grand protector of the three Grand Lodges of Prussia , who addressed him in the following words : " Be and remain thou a protector of the order , then will not only your future welfare be assured , but you will carry with you the noble consciousness of having striven to

develop around you the beneficent influences of goodness and truth , " to which the prince responded : "So long as I live I shall be devoted to the order , provided that it remains faithful to its fundamental principles . " In 1886 while in Strassburg , Alsace , he closed a lengthy Masonic address at a banquet tendered him by the brethren of Erwin Lodge of that city , with these , for the heir to the most powerful throne in Europe , certainly remarkable words : " Two

principles , however , above all others , distinguish the field of Masonic work—freedom of conscience and toleration . To these let us cling with all our might . That in these we may become perfect let us strive forever . And let us not only praise these virtues , but practice them industriously . If we strive towards these ends , it will be , well with us and well with Freemasonry . Herein may the Great Architect of the universe aid us . "—Grand Master Jluck in , G . Lodge of Liulsiana .