The Address To The Queen.

of people who had congregated outside the building . A very largo number of the brethren , who had chartered vehicles for the day , embraced the opportunity afforded them of a drive around the beautiful surroundings of

Kensington and the Parks , which are just now iu the heig ht of their summer glory ; the shrubs , trees and flowers , planned and kept by skilful landscape gardeners , p resenting a wonderfully charming aspect . Our Provincial friends ,

some of whom seemed to have formed the idea that London was but a huge colony of bricks and mortar , enveloped in a perpetual pall of smoke , were most agreeably astonished at the fine appearance of our " breathing-spaces" through

which they passed ; though it is open to question whether the " pent up citizens" were not equally charmed with what to them was a pleasant hour or so in the country

There was a general return to the City later iu the evening , and Masonio banquets on a variety of scales were held at the Holborn Restaurant , Freemasons' Tavern , the Imperial Hotel , Auderton ' s , and many other of the hotels which are equally noted as the trysting-places of brethren of " ye mystic tie . "

Amongst the incidental features of the day we may refer to the gathering of several members of the St . Michael ' s Lodge , No . 211 , who were generously entertained at luncheon by their esteemed Worshipful Master , Brother F . T . Bennett , at the Imperial Hotel . Subsequently they proceeded in a primfe omnibus to the

Albert Hall , and after the . ceremony took a drive through the parks , which proved a rich treat to all who participated . Returning to the Imperial they partook of an excellent dinner , served in a style for whioh this cosy and popular establishment is noted , Brother Begbie personally superintending . The W . M . presided , supported in

the vice chair by Bro . W . W . Morgan P . M ., and amongst those present were Bros . TJ- 'her Bac-k P . M ., A . Green P M . ( Trea-nrer ) , W . Badcliffft P . M . ( Secretary ) , A . Dickson , Coi-kerill , Kino-, LinfHd , Hartley , Bagley , Kirkland , Bu .-s , Pardons , Hunt , Hardy , Collings , & o . The loyal toasts having been givpn , with especial

reference to the Jubilee meeting at the Albert Hall , and the splendid success which had attended it , Brother W . W . Morgan proposed the toast of the evening—the Worshipful Master . In the course of his remarks he said the members of St . Michael ' s Lod « e could not have made a more jndkious selection of a Master , for

although Bro . Bennett was a comparatively young Mason he was in every way adapted to the position . He was initiated in their Lodge , and during the short time he had been in it he had shown himself a most earnest and persevering student . This was proved by the position he had secured for himself , and his devotion to the

Craft was recognised outside as well as inside the St . Michael ' s Lodge . The speaker referred especially to Bro . Bennett ' s appointment on the Board of General Purposes , an honour almost without preoedent for so young a Mason . The more cautious of the members had watched his career—it might almost be said , with fear and trembliner , that he might be inclined to soar too

high ; but they felt perfect confidence in him , from the amount of spirit he brought to bear upon his work ; they were now all assured he was not likely to fail . Bro . Bennett had exerted himself assiduously and munificently to ensure the pleasure and success of the day , and they were all indebted to him for his generous

kindness . Tbe toast was heartily received , and briefly acknowledged by the W . M ., who said he considered it a great honour and privilege to occnpy the chair during the Jubilee year , and congratulated the brethren upon the success of the splendid gathering they had witnessed at the Albert Hall . No effort should be wanting on his

part to sustain the reputation which St . Michael ' s Lodge had so long enjoyed . Several complimentary toasts were given , and the proceedings were of a very happy and enjoyable nature . We may mention that Bro . Alfred Withers P . M ., who was with tbe party at the Albert Hall , was prevented from attending the dinner , much to the regret of the brethren .

Hints About And To Brother Rob Morris.

HINTS ABOUT AND TO BROTHER ROB MORRIS .

BRO . MORRIS is a singular man , and whenever any report reaches here about him I always doubt whether it is true . Some disparaging stories were formerly propagated about him , but the propagators of these stories were as unreliable as Bro . Morris himself , and so I took no stock in their statements . About the end of last

February there was a report here that Bro . Morris had had a stroke of apoplexy , and was unable to do anything , save and except to sell his poetry . About a fortnight later

another report reached here , that the whole edition of Bro . Morris ' s poems were destroyed in a fire . But a writer- in the Freemason of 2 b ' th of March informs us that Bro . Morris is on a lecturing tour ; he says : —

Our old and respect d friend Bro . Dr . Rob Morris is again on the war path . This time it is ninety leotnres in ninety days , in the game number of towns . This is pretty work for one close to 71 years of age [ and to soon after his recovery from his stroke of apoplexy

Hints About And To Brother Rob Morris.

too . ] The following sketoh will serve to describe the oharacter of his addresses .... As the new orowned Poet Laureate , and as P . G . M . of Kentucky , hia reception should be most hearty , as doubtless it will be wherever he sojourns . And here is a specimen of the programme of Bro . Morris ' s " Variety Show , " viz . : —

His Masonio discoveries in the Holy Land ; oordial reception in Enrope , Asia , and Africa ; Grand Gathering in Smyrna ; greeting by Bro . Mohammed Keschid , Governor-General of Syria ; the seven Masonic localities in the Holy Land ; the tomb of King Hiram ;

foundation walls of King Solomon ' s temple ; midnight initiation into Oriental form of Freemasonry . [ Query . —As Bro . Morris cannot understand an Oriental language , how did the Dervishes manage to initiate him p ]

This is followed by an exhibition of Masonio curiosities , among which is the identical Masouic flag which has kissed the breezes of the Syrian hills in four successive expeditions . In addition to which our poet was to reoite his poems .

Following these , a social reunion is held , while the veteran Mason , sitting as interlocutor , cudgels his memory for Masonic anecdotes , serious , humorous , drawn from

reminiscences of two score years , during which he visited nearly three thousand Lodges , aud almost every Grand Lodge in the world .

Bro . Morris has nothing to sell , neither books , coins , nor specimens . The lectures will be free . A colleotion will be taken at the close . The above is a correct specimen of Bro . Morris ' s " BUI of

tbe Play . " The performances are the same as he exhibited in Boston a few years ago . I notice , however , a " new departure . " In Boston he , or his agent , solicited each visitor to buy Bro . Morris ' s Holy Land book , for four

dollars . If that was too much for the visitor ' s pocket , he was next offered a piece of wood- from the holy Mount Lebanon , some leaves from the holv Mount of Olives , a

homoeopathic dose of water from the holy river Jordan , or a pebbie or shell from the Holy Land , for which the small sum of one dollar was asked . This ancient landmark

Bro . Morris has now abandoned for a new one , viz ., a collection will now be made , " and I hope that his audiences will be sufficiently amused with his exhibitions , for I do not think the instruction will amount to much , to induce them

to shell out their dimes freely and generously . Last week , however , I received in one day THE FBEBMASON ' CHRONICLE , of 16 th April , and the ( Cincinnati ) Masonic Review , the April number , in both of which

publications Bro . Morris has something to say about Jacob Norton . They differ , however , in style ; thus , in the former , he exhibits Rob Morris the comical , the humorous , the iocose , full of drollery and banter ; but in the latter we

behold Rob Morris the serious and censorious . The letter in tho former is headed " Rob Morris ' s reply to Bro . Jacob Norton , " while in the latter the article is headed " Jacob Norton , the Masonic Agnostic . " Well ! be it so ; and what

then ? The question is , can any man of common sense believe that two eagles guided Bro . Morris to the tomb of King Hiram ? or that King Solomon was the author of our American Masons' funeral ritual ? or that Pythagoras was

initiated into the M . M . degree , and that he was tbe " Master of the Masonic ritual ? " & c , & c . The only excuse he makes for his credulity is that Jacob Norton also at one

time believed in Masonic traditions , " until he got mad with the Boston Masons , because they would not leave out the two Saints John , and the Star in the East . "

So far Bro . Morris is right . Indeed , I never would have joined a Lodge in Boston if the late C . W . Moore had not promised that if I joined his Lodge he would do his best to induce the Grand Lode-e to make the

ritual as unsectanan as it is in England ; but when I found that the next edition of Moore ' s " Tracing Board" was more sectarian than the previous one , and when the Rev . Grand Master , in answer to my

petition , gave mo to understand that Masonry was a Christian Institution , but was liberal enough to admit Jews , while they were still excluded from the English Parliament , & c , & c , I think that I was then justified in

renouncing allegiance to a Jesuitical concern . Hence , I resigned membership , and decided never to enter a Lodge in Massachusetts again so long as they were pleased to retain a ritual inconsistent with their boasted Masonic

universality . Bro . Morris believes that it is perfectly right for the W . M . to promise a Jewish candidate , " on the word and honour of a gentleman and a Mason , that he should enjoy all the privileges of Masonry , and that there was nothing