Lodge Histories.

LODGE HISTORIES .

— : o : — ST . MICHAEL'S LODGE , No . 211 .

' ( Continued from page 1 ( 51 . ) We left oll'last week with the Lodge justsettling down in its nowlyohoson qnartci's , the Albion , Aldersgato Street , where it still continues to meet after an almost iimleviatingly . successful course of twenty years . Tho move was made in tho year I 860 , when Bro . John Laver , still happily a respected member of the Lodge , was tho W . Master ,

there being also throe other brethren , who wero then as now members , namely , Bros Drysdsilo and Greenwood , both Past Masters at that lime , and tho latter Treasurer , and Bio . Parsons , also now an honoured P . M . At tho first meeting held under the hospitable roof of the Albion , notico of motion was given by Bro . Kincaid to tho effect that " a brother going * abroad , and giving notico thereof , " might " remain

a member by paying a guinea a year during his absence , instead of the nsual subscription , the first payment to be paid in advance . " When this motion came on for discussion in dne course at the next meeting in November , an amendment was proposed and seconded by Bros . Play ford P . M . and Jones P . M . respectively , which so far altered the original resolution as to make it include as well brethren who lived

at a distance of fifty miles from tho place of meeting as those who were going abroad . Moveover , it marie tho act of grace depend on the approval of the officers of the Lodge , aud further ordered that whenever any such brother should attend the Lodgo he was to pay the visiting fee . Tbe amendment , and original resolution having been submitted , the former was declared carried by a large majority . The

same evening it was announced that the Bye Laws wore out of print , and the Secretary was accordingly instructed to search the minntes with a view to discovering what , if any , additions had been made , before orders were given for a reprint to be issued . In January lSfSl Bro . C . T . Manley was unanimously chosen W . Master for the year , while Bros . Greenwood nnd Speight were re-elected Treasurer and

Tyler respectively . Subsequently , a motion was made and carried , to the effect that the sum of one guinea should be subscribed towards tho Henley testimonial . Nothing , however is said as to the nature of this testimonial , which may havo been intended for presentation to a Bro . Henley , or to go towards tho purchase of a piece of plate to be rowed at the Royal Henley Regatta . At the installation

meeting in February there was a muster of between twenty and thirty members and visitors , who attended to witness the induction of Bro . Manley into the chair of K . S . Bnt previous to this a ballot was taken , as usual , on the motion that tho customary P . M . 's jewel be presented to Bro . Laver , the retiring Master , in recognition of tho services he had rendered during his term of office . Tlio Audit Committee ' s report

was also submitted and accepted , its tenour being less satisfactory than in previous years . Not only was thero a small balance of some shillings due to the Treasurer , but there was a House Bill and Grand Lodge dues outstanding to the amount of about £ 2 ] 13 s , whilo tho arrears of subscriptions due reached only £ 1 ( 5 . The deficit was , however , explained by the

extraordinary expenses incurred during tho year in respect of the repair and removal of furniture , new collars , repair of jewels , Ac . ; and but for this undue expenditure there would have been a trifling balance duo to the Lodge . The furniture and effects of the Lodge were also certified correct , with the exception of four Masonic glasses missing . The ceremony of installing Bro . Manley was then

proceeded with , and the Officers having been appointed and invested , the banquet followed , the last business of tlie evening being the presentation to Bro . Laver I . P . M . of the Past Master's jewel voted him unanimously in the earlier honrs of the meeting . At the March meeting Bro . Playford gave notice of a motion for the addition to the third Bye-law of a clause requiring that whenever any member

shonld propose a candidate for initiation he should deposit the sum of one guinea in part payment of the fee , the same to be returned in the event of the candidate being rejected . This motion was unanimously agreed to at the next meeting , on which occasion also it is recorded that , as several brethren were in arrear with their subscriptions , the Secretary was directed to write to them requesting

payment , " in order that the Treasurer might be enabled to discharge the debts due by the Lodgo . " In November effect was for the first time given to the resolution of the preceding November , and on the motion of Bro . Kincaid , seconded by Bro . Kemp , Bros . Woodgates , Tracy , and Crawford were " placed on the absent list , " the condition being the payment of one guinea in advance in February 1862 , and

of the visiting fee whenever thoy should attend the Lodge . In December Bro . Alfred Best , the present worthy proprietor of the Freemasons' Tavern , having been duly balloted for and elected , was formally initiated into the mysteries of the first degree in Freemasonry . In January 1862 , Bro . Harper was unanimously elected , and in the following year regularly installed Worshipful Master

of the Lodge . The Audit Committee ' s report for the then past year was somewhat moro satisfactory . Thero was a balance of a few shillings in the Treasurer ' s hands instead of dne to him , and the outstanding liabilities were about £ 12 19 s , as against £ 21 13 s at the previous audit , and it was estimated that the subscriptions outstanding were sufficient to cover the bills outstanding . This and the

fact of the Lodge paraphernalia being in good order seems to have induced the Committee " to congratulate their brethren on the improved position and prospects of the Lodge . " Bro . Best was passed to the second degree at this meeting , and the customary Past Master's jewel was voted to Bro . Manley I . P . M ., subject , of course , to the requisite ballot at tho next meeting , which , it is almost

needless to say , was unanimously in favour of the motion ; and Bro . Manley received in due course tho just recognition of hi : services in the chair during the year 1861 . On llth March , Bro . Best was raised to tho third degree . At tho November meeting no less than four new members were proposed for initiation , and it was resolved , possibly in order to celebrate so agreeable an episode , that

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the brethren shonld dine together at the next meeting in December . Bo it added that the font * candidates were unanimously accepted , and two of them being present were forthwith initiated into Freemasonry . In January 1863 , Bro . Kemp was elected W . Master for the year , and after the re-election of Bro . Greenwood as Treasurer had taken place , a resolution was proposed bv Bro . C . T . Mauley ,

seconded by Bro . Kemp , and unanimously agreed to , " That the thanks of tho brethren of tho Lodge are duo , and aro hereby given to , Bro . Greenwood P . M ., for tho great attention at all times given by him to tho accounts of the Lodge itself as Treasurer . No one who has followed us through this history , but will deny this was a wellmerited compliment . As to the Report of the Audit Committee , which

was prepared on tho 3 rd February , and follows the record of the above resolution , it seems difficult to say whether it forms part of the minutes of tho election or installation meeting . The former would appear to be impossible , for though time flies too fast in the estimation of many , tho brethren of tho St . Michael ' s are hardly likely , just for the convenience of tho moment , to have jumped suddenly from

the 13 th of January to the 3 rd of February . We take it , therefore , that the entry of the Report is intended to belong to the February ' s minutes . However this may be , it is satisfactory to be told that the Lodge Funds were " in a more satisfactory state than at the last audit , " and that thero were no outstanding debts . What is better still , the balance in the Treasurer's hands is described as amounting

to £ 5 4 s 3 d . Among the visitors at the installation of Bro . Kemp as W . Master will bo found the name of the late Bro . S . B . Wilson , with the letters " P . J . G . D . " attached to it , Bro . Wilson having himself filled the chair of Master two years running in this Lodge . Therefore , though ho was a visitor , he was very far from being a stranger . Moreover , he took a leading part in the programme , and acted as

Installing Officer on the occasion . The usual P . M . 's jewel was voted to Bro . Harper I . P . M ., and then the Lodge adjourned to the Friday following the usual Wednesday , as the latter was the date set apart for the marriage of the Prince of Wales with the Princess Alexandra of Denmark . At the meeting in April it was agreed " That a banquet be given during the summer , and thafc the time and place

be appointed by the Worshipful Master . " In the minutes of the meeting held on the 13 th October 1863 is an entry recording a most appropriate and well-merited tribute of respect to the memory of Bro . Kincaid Past Master and Secretary , who on the interim between April and October had passed away . Bro . Kincaid had rendered most valuable services to the Lodge . He was

Worshipful Master in 1837 . We find him filling the responsible office of Treasurer in the years 1840 , 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 . He was for the second time chosen to fill the chair as Master for the year 1845 , and after his installation ifc was unanimously agreed to present him with a jewel in recognition of his services during the five preceding years , but afc his " own request tho proposition was withdrawn , and a voto

o thanks was substituted . " In 184 b he resumed his old office of Treasurer till January 1848 , when he was a third time elected Worshipful Master , and tho year following , after a motion had been agreed to , by which the office of Secretary was made a permanent one , he was appointed to the Secretaryship , and held it at the time

of his death . Thus this worthy brother had held high office as well as taken a leading part in all the business of the Lodge from tho year 1840 inclusive—that is , for some fonr-and-twenty years , to say nothing of the minor duties he had filled in tbe earlier part of his career , and his first Worshipful Mastership in 1837 . No wonder , then , that we read tho following simple but eloquent minute to his

memory : — " The Lodge having , since the last meeting , lost the services by death of Bro . Kincaid P . M . Secretary" It was resolved—That it is with deep regret the brethren express their sorrow at the loss sustained by the death of our lamented Brother Kincaid P . M . and Secretary , but with an humble hope that he has been translated to the Grand Lodge above , where the world's Great Architect rules and reigns for ever . "

At the November meeting we find an entry to the effect that , " Mr . Charles L . Hulbert , approved as a candidate for initiation by ballot on the 9 th December last , being in attendance , was prepared , introduced , ' and regularly initiated into Freemasonry . " So long a delay between election and initiation is most unusual , and does not say much for Bro . Hulbert ' s appreciation of the compliment paid

him by the Lodge . It is quite possible , however , that he could offer a satisfactory explanation of the circumstances which led to it . It was afterwards agreed to refer the revision of the Bye-laws and the appointment of a Secretary in place of the late Bro . Kincaid to a Committee , consisting of the Worshipful Master and Bros . Drysdale P . M ., Greenwood P . M . and Treasurer , Jones P . M ., Manley P . M ., and

Dobree . At tho meeting in January 1864 , Bro . Drysdale , who had already once filled the office of Worshipful Master—namely , in the year 1849—was elected for another term , and was installed accordingly at the following meeting . A Past Master ' s jewel was unanimously voted , subject , of course , to tho usual ballot , to the retiring Master , but , strange to say , there is no entry of any Audit

Committee ' s report having been submitted , in accordance with custom , at this meeting . Among the visitors at the March meeting we find entered the name of Bro . Patten P . G . S . B . and Secretary of tbe Girls ' School . On this occasion Bro . Kemp received his Past Master's jewel , which was presented to him by the Worshipful Master in an appropriate address , and suitably acknowledged . In November the

business seems to have been of an unusually protracted character , so much so , indeed , that in the case of a Bro . Erlandsen , who had undergone the preliminary examination and retired , with a view of being raised to the sublime degree of M . M ., the ceremony was post , poned to a more favourable occasion . In January 1865 , Bro . VV . L .

Manley P . M . was again elected W . M ., and installed at the usual meeting the following month , Bro . Biggs being for tho third year running appointed to the Senior Warden ' s chair . The Andit Committee's report was submitted and approved , there being a balance in the Treasmer ' s hands of £ 15 18 s 4 d . At the meeting in April it is