The Recent Festival.

THE RECENT FESTIVAL .

IT transpires that the subscription of 1 , 200 guineas , given by Bro . George Heaton , of Heckmondwike , for tue Freemasons Eoyal Benevolent Institution , vras to bo set aside to provide an annuity of £ 40 for life to some aged and needy member of the Masonic

brotherhood , who will obtain additional privileges from the Masonic Institution it he resides in London . Mr . Heaton retains for life the right of presentation to this benefit , and it will descend to his wife if she survives

him . Afterwards , the Master of the Amphibious Lodge ( Heckmondwike ) is to have the right of presentation , and in the event of that Lodge ever becoming extinct it will descend to the Provinoial Lodge of West Yorkshire — Dewsbury Daily News .

Talks With The Craft.

TALKS WITH THE CRAFT .

Aro you a Master Mason ? Why did you join the Fraternity ? Was it out of curiosity , or because you felt that it would be a social and moral benefit ? Have you been disappointed in Masonry ? On the contrary , haven't you found every principle and precept truly golden ?

Are you not ready to acknowledge that the Brother who lives up to Masonry is living as true and as good a life as man can Jive ? Tell me one single thing in the foundation principles of Masonry you would have changed . Point out one single iault or plan if you can . On the night you were to take your E . A . Degree would a card party at one of the neighbours have held you back ?

When you were ready for your F . C . degree would a fall of ram or snow have kept you at home ? And on your M . M . degree—would a minstrel show have proved a greater attraction to you ? You indignantly answer KOI Weil , then , answer me fuither Do you attend your Lodge , and how often ?

Have you , since being made a Master Mason , taken hold of any part of the work ? Can you truthfully answer that you have attended one of four meetings ? Is it a fact that you have skipped meetings on the most trifling excuses—had a headache—felt tired out—looked like rain , etc ., etc . ?

Haven't you thrown Lodge meetings over your shoulder to go to the theatre—out to a card party—down to the museum ? Has it never occurred to jou that if all the rest of us adopted your style , the charter of our Lodge would soon be forfeited ? Hasn't it ever struck you that your non-appearance at Lodge meetings , unless really ill or out of town , is a piece of selfishness which any honest man should be ashamed of ?

Having bten made a Master Mason yourself , do you care a copper whether another single man is " raised " in America or not ? If you did care wouldn't you be regular in attendance and exhibit some interest in the work ? You were accepted under the belief that you were an upright man . Is it the fair , square thing to put all the work on to others ?

When the election , occurs in December you will be on hand , won't you ? You'll come down and shake hands all around , and boast of what " our" Lodge has done , and what " our " Lodge is going . to do , and you'll be dreadfully aixious about who is going to be ejected . You'll even pull wires a bit , and you'll declare that " we " must get our very best members into stations or lose " our " prestige .

And then : You have not come down because you love , respect and revere Masonry , not because you have the earnest welfare of jour Ledge at heart , but because you have a friend who wants an office and jour vote . He maj Le a worker or a woodenhtad , but . you'll jull for him , like enough elect him , and then disappear for another six months . —M . Quad , in The Tyler .

On Tuesday next , the 20 th inst ., a lecture will be delivered by Bro . James Stevens ( Representative of the Australian Irrigation Colonies ) in No . 9 room of the Crystal Palace Company ' s School of Art , Science and Literature , next the Byzantine Court , North End of Nave , at 5 * 30 for 6 p . m ., on Australia and its lirigation Colonies , illustiated by a large number of interesting Limelight

Photo "Views , exhibiteei by Mr . H . Luscombe Toms , Optical Lantern and Slide Specialist . Admhsion bj free tickets ( not admitting to the Palace ) , to be obtaimd at the Kiosk and Fruit Trophy of ihe Australian Irrigation Colonies ( CLafley Brothers , Limited ) , opposite the Chinese Court , South End of Nave , wheie full paiticulars , pamphlets , etc ., can also be obtained .

We have received notice from the Directors of Spiers and Pond , Limited , that a third instalment of 4 s per share , less income tax , on account of dividend , will be posted to the shareholders of the Company on the 1 st proximo , and that the share transfer books will be closed from the 19 th to the 31 st instant inclusive , for the

purpose < f pieparing the warrants . This payment , with the two instalments paid on the 1 st of October and the 1 st of January last respectively , makes 12 s per share on account of the year ending 31 st March 1894 , the full dividend for which will be declared in July next .

Reports Of Meetings.

EEPOETS OF MEETINGS .

METROPOLITAN . — : o : — ST . MICHAEL'S LODGE , No . 211 . rj ^ HE annual installation festival of this ancient Lodge , which I is now within a year of its centenary , took place on Tuesday , 13 th ult ., at tho Albion , Aldersgate Street , E . C , in the presence of a large number of Brethren . The Worshipful Master , Bro . William Kirkland , presided , being supported by his Officers and numerous visitors , among whom were : T . B . Podmoro P . M . 587 P . P . G . D . O . Warwick , Dr . Ralph Gooding P . G . D ., Chas . D . Adkin P . M . 945 P . P . G . S . Berks , F . A . Powell P . M . 457 , Bradshaw Brown P . M . 1

P . G . S ., G . E . Higginson P . M . 1791 , H . J . Eolls P . M . 1728 , J . B . Stevens P . M . 1627 , Alex . S . Browne P . G . J . W . Middlesex , Percy Shore P . M . 2041 , Lionel Brough 2127 , W . Sergeant Lee P . M . 24 S 8 , H . R . Diver 1708 , W . J . Nash 321 , W . Mellor 1384 , A . G . Wedmore 1791 , H . Appleford 190 , W . Evans 172 , J . H . Podmore 587 , C . Kirkland 241 , A . E . Harvey 1325 , W . L . Barrett 1319 , & c , & c .

The Lodge being duly opened and the minutes of the last meeting confirmed , Bro . Kirkland vacated the chair in favour of Bro . Orlton Cooper I . P . M ., who then addressed the Brethren as to the qualifications of a Master . Bro . William John Dyer , having been unanimously elected as Master for the ensuing year , was then presented by the Director of Ceremonies , and after signifying his

assent to the Masonic charges and regulations , was installed in the chair of King Solomon according to ancient custom . Having been saluted by the Brethren the new Master then proceeded to invest the following Officers * . W . Kirkland I . P . M ., Cockrell S . W ., Copley J . W ., Alfred Green P . M . Treasurer , W . Eadcliile P . M . Secretary , Spawforth S . D ., Cecil Mount J . D ., A . H . Collings I . G ., Orlton

Cooper P . M . D . C , H . Lindfield P . M . Steward , Ernest C . Collings Organist , Barnes Tjler . The usual addresses to the Master , Officers , and Brethren were subsequently delivered by Bro . Cooper , who received the congratulations of the Lodge . The audit report was received and adopted . 1 'ho business of the evening being finished the Lodge was duly closed , and the Brethren adjourned to

the banquet room , where an elegant dinner was served . After the usual Loyal and Masonic toasts had been honoured , Bro . Kirkland in eulogistic terms proposed the health of the Worshipful Master , and wished him on the part of the Lodgo a happy and prosperous year of office . Bio . Dyer having returned thanks , proceeded to pay a similar compliment to the I . P . M ., and invested Bro . Kirkland

with the handsome Lodge jewel which had been voted by the Brethren . Bros . Bradshaw Brown , Dr . Ralph Gooding , Alex . Browne and Lionel Brough res-ponded for the Visitors , and the Officers of the Lodge having been honoured , the interesting proceedings were brought to a happy teimination . During the

evening a capital entertainment was given , under the direction of Bro . J . A . Collings , in which Mdlle . Marie Vagnolini , Miss Grace Woodward , a daughter of a former Master of the Boys School , together with Bros . D . Lewis , Lionel Brough and Sergeant Lee took part . o o o

CAPPER LODGE , No . 1076 . A BANQUET and ball took place on Friday , the 2 nd inst ., at the Cannon Street Hotel . Bro . W . L . Crow P . M ., in the absence of the I . P . M ., proposed the health of the W . M . It was , he said , a pleasing duty to him to propose the toast on such an occasion . He was sure that the success of the evening would be a good augury of success for the proposed summer outing , in which they

would again have the fair countenances of the ladies . He thought they might by anticipation rely on the support of the W . M . The W . M . thanked Bro . Crow , and said he would cordially act with those who were in favour of the summer outing . Replying for

the Ladies , Bro . E . W . Wormald , one of the youngest members of the Lodge , acquitted himself manfully . The "Visitors closed the toast list , and the company adjourned to the ball room , where they indulged in agreeable terpsichorean measures until a somewhat advanced hour . There were about ninety present . 0 0 0

THE GREAT CITY LODGE , No . 1426 . rpHE annual election meeting of this Lodge was held at the X Cannon Street Hotel , on Saturday , the 10 th inst . The W . M . Bro . G . W . Robson , was supported by a large number of Officers , lay Brethren , and visitors . Bros . It . Ihomas and James Boy ton wero raised separately and with complete ceremony very ably performed by the W . M . Bro . J . K . Gwyn was unanimously elected 'W . M . for the ensuing jear , Bro . E . Fendick P . M . was

re-elected Treasurer , and Bro . It Potter P . M . ( abtent through illness ) Tyler . Auditors and Almoners were also appointed . A new edition of the Bye-laws of the Loelge was approved and ordered to be printed . A Past Master ' s jewel was voted to Bro . G . W . Eobson , to be presented to him on the termination of his year of office as W . M ., and in sincere acknowledgment of valuable and

important services to the Lodge during the vast year . Ihe W . M . having undertaken to represent the Lodge at the forthcoming Festival of the Eoj al Masonic Institution for Girls , the vote of the Lodge in support of his Stewardship was supplemented by seveial individual donations to be added to his list . The second

application of Jessie Winifred Hicks , the daughter of a deceased member , to be admitted to the benefits of the Boj * al Masonic Institution for Girls at the election in April , was mentioned . She carries forward 1464 votes from last election , and it is hoped that her success may be secured next month , Bro . Gwyn proposed a