Reports Of Meetings.

and said that his endeavour would be to serve them faithfully and zealously , aud so keep up the reputation ot the Lodge for good woi * k i'g . He would have a difficult task in following so good a Mason as Bro . Shurmur , but he had promised to give his best advice , and he hoped at the termination of his year of office the Brethren would be satisfied .

In replying for the Installing Master , Bro . Shurmur expressed his gratitude to tho Brethren for their unvarying kindness , and said he should ever have pleasant recollections of his year of office . It had been his proud privilege to bring in many members to Freemasonry , all of whom had conferred honour upon his choice , and it was most satisfactory to find the Lodge in so firm a position . Bro . Wildash might be referred to as Father of the Lodge , as it

was through his efforts that they met at Walthamstow . It was a highly representative Lodge and ranked among its members most of the local notabilities . Bro . Wildash thanked the Brethren for having conferred upon him tho P . M . jewel . Ho took great interest in Walthamstow , as it was the birthplace of his wife and their family , and concluded by giving somo interesting details as to tho foundation of the Lodge .

The Initiates severally responded to the toast of thoir health . Bros . De Courcy-Meade , W . M . Stiles , John Petch , W . Blackburn and W . B . Whittingham answered for the Visitorsj the Senior and Junior Wardens responded for tho Officers ; and the Tyler ' s toast brought the proceedings to a happy termination .

Bro . William Harris , the new W . M . of tho Walthamstow Lodge , was born at Westminster in 1857 . He was initiated into Freemasonry in 1881 , in the John Hervey Lodge , No . 1260 . Subsequently he became a joining member of the Beaconsfield Lodge ,

No . 1662 , of which he was elected W . M . for tho year 1891-2 . He is one of the founders of the Walthamstow Lodge , and signed the petition to Grand Lodge . He is also a Companion of the Mount Sinai Chapter , No . 19 , held at Anderton ' s , in FJeet Street , but has not as yet taken office in the Arch .

Provincial.

PROVINCIAL .

— : o : — ROYAL GLOUCESTER LODGE , No . 130 . A MEETING was held at the Masonic Hall , Southampton , on Thursday , 8 th inst ., W . M . Bernard Harfield , J . P ., presiding . The gathering was one of unusual interest , owing to the fact that Sir Barrington Simeon , Bart ., was initiated into the Order , the

ceremony being performed by Bro . W . W . Beach , M . P ., Prov . Grand Master of Hampshire and tho Isle of Wight . There was a large company present and at the banquet which followed the toast of tho visitors was responded to by Bro . Tankerville Chamberlayne , M . P . o o o

CAMBRIAN LODGE , No . 364 . THE installation meeting was held at the Masonic Hall , Neath , when there was a large gathering of the Fraternity to greet Bro . J . F . Kerr , of Cantref , Neath , the newly-elected W . M . The Lodge was opened by Bro . J . E . Griffith , who subsequently installed his successor , Bro . Kerr , in a very able way . Prior to this important ceremony , the arrival of Bro . Marmaduke Tennant , the Deputy Provincial Grand Master of South Wales Eastern Division

was announced . He was escorted to the Lodge Room b y the past and present Provincial Grand Officers , and there was a large display of " purple " upon the dais behind the Master ' s chair . At the conclusion of the ceremony , hearty congratulations were tendered to Worshipful Master Kerr , who appointed his Officers . There was a generally expressed feeling of disappointment that Bro . Whittington , who is familiarly known in the Province , and generally beloved

in his Lodge , was absent through ill health from a gathering where he is usually a prominent and welcome figure . The cause which prevented him and another Officer from attending was sympathetically referred to . Before closing the Lodge , the Immediate Past Master and Bro . G . Jones were appointed to represent the Lodge on the Provincial Grand Committee , and Bro . J . E . Griffith was chosen as Charity Steward for the year .

The Brethren repaired to the Castle Hotel to banquet , where Mrs . Andrews served to the company , numbering nearly fifty , a most inviting repast . o o o

SOUTHAMPTON LODGE , No . 394 . AT the meeting on the 15 th inst ., at Southampton , under the presidency of Bro . Bates , Mr . Sheriff Button was initiated a member of the Order , the ceremony being performed by P . M . Lashmore . Several Brethren were raised , P . M . Dacombe officiating . The Treasurer , P . M . Lemon , presented an excellent framed

portrait of himself to the Lodge , for which he received a cordial expression of thanks . Tho banquet which followed was attended by a large number of Brethren , and in the course of the subsequent proceedings the health of the newly initiated member ( Bro . L . Button ) was drunk with Masonic honours . o o o

LODGE OF FAITH , No . 581 . A REGULAR meeting of this Lodge was held at the Gransmoor Hotel , Fairfield , Manchester , on Wednesday , the 21 st ult ., Bro . Hy . B . Brown W . M . There were also present : Bros . H . J . Harrison S . W ., W . Jones S . D ., Robt . Adshead J . D ., G . H .

Provincial.

Scott I . G ., J . C . Brown Treas ., G . H . Barnes I . P . M ., J . M . Frost Secretary , B . Swift P . M ., John Greenup P . M ., Wm . Kay P . M ., Thos . Tyers P . M ., Edwd . Roberts P . M . Asst . Prov . G . T . ( FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE ) , Dr . Edwin E . Jones , Saml . Andrews , J . T . Moorhouse , Joseph Harrison , T . Pollitt , W . H . Wagstaff , C H . Griffiths . Visitors : Bros . Geo . Wenham Davies S . W . 1459 , Ernest 0 . Ritson 1161 and 2464 , E . Hampson S . W . 1166 , A . Hollings , McLeod .

The Lodge was opened at 4 p . m ., and after the minutes of last meeting had been confirmed , a ballot was successfully taken for Mr . Stephen John Watson , who was afterwards prepared and initiated . Supper followed , this being graced by the attendance of ladies ,

a departure which was evidently agreeable to the fair sex , who expressed themselves as perfectly satisfied with the arrangements . The following wero present : Mrs . H . B . Brown , Barnes , Jones , Hampson , Harrison , Adshead , Scott , Greenup , Kay , Swift , Griffiths , Andrew , Wagstaff and Davies . Misses Brown , Hollings , Bridgo , M . Bridge , Smethurst , P . and M . Heywood .

Several toasts were honoured , amongst others that of the Ladies , which was proposed hy Bro . Swift in a humourous speech . Bro . McLeod responded . Bro . Brown W . M . proposed the health of the newly-initiated

Brother , saying ho expected that tho ordeal through which the latter had passed would have a tendency to improve him , and lead him to think that Freemasonry was not all that had been said of it by the outside world , but something infinitely better . Bro . Watson responded .

Bro . Barnes I . P . M . proposed the health of the W . M ., saying that the position which their principal Officer occupied had many very arduous duties attached to it , but Bro . Brown was equal to a faithful performance of them all , and the Lodge , under his guidance , would lose none of its lustre .

Bro . Brown said that it afforded him extreme pleasure to respond to such a toast , especially in the presence of ladies . He could assure his auditors that from tho time of his initiation into the Lodge he had tried to do his best to promote its interests , and ho would continue to do so . He strongly advised young officers to try and get to the top of the tree , for it was a noble aspiration .

He might incidentally mention to them that the only nervousness he had experienced was in connection with the position he held , which might have been caused by his great anxiety to do his duty . At any rate , the feeling would wear off after a few months practice , when he had got used to it , and he might be perfect by the time that he had to leave the chair .

Bro . Tyers P . M . proposed the health of the visitors , which toast received suitable responses from Bros . Davies , Ritson and Hollings . These proceedings over , dancing was indulged in , and continued

until a late hour , the whole being pleasantly relieved by songs , recitations , & c , rendered by Bros . Pollitt , Griffiths , Moorhouse , Roberts , and Mrs . E . E . Jones . The latter , who has a very pleasing voice , sang " When the tide comes in , " and its antithesis " Kitty Muldoon , " and the " Alabama Coon . "

The instrumental music was contributed by Bros . C . Jackson 2156 , R . Perrin 2156 , and Mr . J . Collinge .

o o o EGERTON LODGE , No . 1030 . THE regular meeting was held at the George Hotel , Heaton Norris , on the 19 th ult . There were present , amongst others : Bros . Henry Wilson W . M ., R . B . Goodfellow S . W ., Henry Smith P . M . P . P . J . G . D . Treas ., Thos . Knott I . P . M . Sec , F . T . Burgess

S . D ., Hydo Marriott J . D ., Jas . W . Abbott P . M . P . P . G . D . of C , F . Burdett I . G ., Wm . A . Vaughan P . M ., Edward Roberts P . M . Asst . Prov . G . T . ( FBEEMASON ' S CHRONICLE ) , H . T . Fisher , E . Broome , F . N . Rudgard , Dr . Frank Cubbon Rogers . Visitor : —Bro . Geo . R . Swann P . M . 1387 .

The namo of Mr . Thomas Burnley Brooks was put to the ballot , and being successful , that gentleman was initiated by the W . M ., he being assisted by Bros . Knott I . P . M ., and Goodfellow S . W ., the former of whom gave the address , the latter presenting and explaining the working tools .

This ended , Bro . Rogers was advanced as a F . C . The W . M . again undertook the ceremony , being assisted on this occasion hy the S . W ., who gave the address and also explained the working tools . Supper followed , and it being rather late when this was finished , the proceedings in connection with the festive board were necessarily curtailed .

The Loyal toasts having been disposed of , that of the newlyinitiated Brother was proposed by Bro . Wilson W . M ., to which Bro . Brooks responded , saying that he thanked the Brethren most heartily for the manner in which they had received his name ; at the same time he must object to the statement of the W . M . that he was gifted with eloquence . Although it might be unbecoming for

him to express a decided opinion with reference to the ceremony through which he had passed , still he would admit that he had been very much impressed by it . Personally he was a very cautious man , but he had noticed what seemed to be—not a superficial , hut a genuine feeling of Brotherhood , which he had not supposed existed in Freemasonry .

Bro . Goodfellow S . W . proposed the health of the W . M ., and took the opportunity of congratulating him upon having had more work than any preceding Master . He also said that few had done work so well ; in fact , so excellently was it performed by him that visitors when told that he had been in the chair only a few months were quite surprised .

The W . M . in reply thanked the Brethren for the hearty manner in which the toast had been received , and assured them that in undertaking the duties it was with a sincere desire to do his best in every way . The proceedings were enlivened by songs , etc ., which wero rendered by Bros . Goodfellow , Edmondson and Roberts .