Grand Masters' Lodge.

are the order of fche day , I will only say that ; we trust in future years we may have a similar splendid gathering , and tho same patronage bestowed by the visitors . Bro . R . H . Giraud ( Treasurer ) , who was loudly called for , said : I ara p laced in a very awkward position on account of my advanced age . I happen to be very deaf , and have not heard one single word

of what has been said , bnt I take it for granted that there has been something said very brotherly and very kind on my behalf . I am quite sure of that , because I can speak for a period of 57 years in which I have experienced tbe greatest kindness and brotherly feeling . I am exceedingly proud of the position I now hold , and having been 53 years a Past Master of this Lodge , I hope you will

give me credit when I say I take a deep interest in the Graud Masters' Lodge . I hope that Providence will spare me to enable me to go along for some few years more . We must all have a hobby . One of my hobbies has been fche Grand Masters' Lodge , and I have ridden ifc hard . I thank yon most heartily for drinking this toasfc in so cordial a manner .

The Lord Mayor : I have now to propose to you " The Health of the Officers of the Lodgo . " This is a toast which is peculiarly interesting to the Master , who feels that upon good officers depends very much the success of his year of office . I may perhaps speak with some degree of confidence of the officers of the past year , as I

was one of them , and I may then add that if the officers of the future only equal and endeavour to emulate the officers of the past , I am sure that afc the end of my year of office I shall have to congratulate tbe Locige npon the very excellent manner in which ifc has been served .

Bro . Bradshaw Brown , in reponse , said : I think but one spirit actuates the officers of this Lodge , and thafc when gentlemen in thia Lodge accept office we are bound to believe npon evidence which cannot bo mistaken thafc they intend to perform their work in a

manner which shall reflect credit upon themselves and the Lodge to which they belong . We shall be guided by the same spirit which has animated yon in the various offices that you have filled , and in that spirit ; which actuates you in taking the high office you now hold .

The Tyler ' s toast brought the proceedings to a close . Dnring the evening a selection of music was admirabl y sung by Bros . Lester , Sidney Tower , Montem Smith , and Robert Hilton . — City Press .

Domatic Lodge, No. 177.

DOMATIC LODGE , No . 177 .

THE annual meeting of this Lodge -was held on Friday , tho 13 fch instant , at Anderton ' s Hotel , Fleet-streefc , E . C . In the unavoidable absence of the W . M ., Bro . Harris , the Lodge was opened by Bro . W . J . Ferguson , and tbe minutes having been read , was advanced to the second degree , when Bro . Gardner was passed . Lodge was resumed , and the chair taken by Bro . E . White , who initiated Messrs . Joseph Perry and John Manby Birch into the

mysteries of Freemasonry . Bro . Ferguson again assumed the gavel , and Bro . James McLean having been presented by Bro . White ( who throughout the installation ceremony acted as M . of C ) , was obligated , and in due course installed into the chair of the Locige . Up to this point the Acting Master had been supported by Bros . J . McLean S . W ., Herbage J . W ., Everett P . M . Treasurer , Thomas Morris

Secretary , W . M . Foxcroft S . D ., R . Pierpoint J . D ., J . Jennings I . G ., and the following Past Masters of the Lodgo : Bros . H . Bowman Spink , J . E . Walford , Isaac Bnscall , and Frederick Kent . On the readmission of the brethren the newly installed Master was sainted in the three degrees , and he appointed the following brethren as his Officers : —Herbage S . W ., Foxcroft J . W ., Everett Treas ., Morris

Secretary , Pierpoint S . D ., Jennings J . D ., Bennett I . G ., H . Price D . C . Simner Steward , Daly Tyler . Bro . Ferguson then proceeded with the addresses , and in due course completed the ceremony of the day . There were three cases of appeal for assistance before Lodge , —ono was postponed for further particulars , another waa ordered to lie on the table—but from information gathered later on the

Past Masters were enabled to announce thafc it was a case in which they might act , and ifc is expected ifc will be submitted at the next meeting . In the other case a grant of five pounds was made from the Lodge funds , it being deemed advisable to assist the applicant ( the widow of a late member ) in thafc way rather than send the case to the Board of Benevolence . A vote of thanks to Bro .

Ferguson for conducting the installation ceremony was then passed , and other items of business having been disposed of , the Lodge was closed . ^ A first rate banquet followed , the usual hospitality of the Domatic Lodge being particularly noticeable . At the conclusion of the repast the Master proceeded with the toasts , coupling with that of the Grand Officers the name of Bro . Cottebrune P . G . P . That brother

acknowledged the compliment , on behalf of the members of Grancl Lodge . Ho was particularly gratified to respond to the toast in tho Domatic Lodge , as it was in it that ho was initiated , in October 185 G . The brethren could imagine that tho Lodge had greatly changed since that date , but it was always noted for the true Masonic sp ? rit of its members , and he trusted would over deserve thafc reputation .

Bro . Ferguson next rose to propose tho health of tho W . M . The present was the second occasion on which ho had occupied the position of Installing Master . Tho lirst being many years since , when ho was entitled to tho office by right , after having fulfilled tbe duties of the chair . On tho present occasion ho occupied it by courtesy , aud it had afforded him great pleasure to bo called upon to

havo tho honour of placing iu the chair a brother who had endeared himself to the members of the Lodge . lie considered that if a Master did his duty , every officer would do his best ; while if the ruler of a Lodge shirked his work , each would think they might neglect their part or not , as they felfc disposed . Ho felt that the present Master of tho Lodge would be a pattern worthy of following , and that nnder his rule the Lodge would go on prosperously . He

Domatic Lodge, No. 177.

therefore felt no hesitation in calling upon the members to drink his very good health , feeling sure that all present would do so with the greatest enthusiasm . After a song by Bro . Cleveland Phillips , the W . M . replied . He felt ho could not find words to express his thanks to Bro . Ferguson and tho brethren generally . It seemed to him but a very short time since ho was sitting on the right of Bro . Ferguson

as an initiate . Now ho occupied a similar position as regarded that brother , but a very different one as regarded tho Lodge . Ho had to thank the members for tho honour they had conferred npon him in electing him to fill tho ohair . Tho Master next proposed tho health of tho Installing Master . It was a very pleasing task for him to perform , bnt one which ho thought would need no support from him ,

The brethren well knew the ability of Dro . Ferguson , and his thorough fitness for any office he might be called upon to fulfil , and for this reason he thought that any words of his would but spoil tho feeling they must all entertain towards him . Bro . Ferguson in reply tendered his most sincere thanks . He felt that the remarks of the W . M . as to the way in which he had been ablo to carry out tho

duties of Installing Master were a tribute to the late Brother T . Adams—who was a Past Master of tho Domatic Lodgoto whom he ( Bro . Ferguson ) was indebted for most of tho knowledge of the ritual he was in possession of . He hoped the coming year in the Lodge would fully equal their most sanguine expectations , that afc the corresponding period next year they might find the Lodge

still continuing its prosperous career . The Master gave tho toasfc of the Initiates—a very pleasing , and , they must also admit , a very necessary toasfc in all Masonio Lodges . The gentlemen they had that night admitted were of a class likely to reflect tho greatest credit on the Locige ; men who would prove themselves to be good Masons , and men who he had little doubt would ere long make

some name for themselves in the Masonio world . Bro . Perry thanked the Master and brethren for the kind reception they had given him . He had that night taken a step he had long "wished to take , for ifc had been bis desire to become a Freemason . He hoped the more he saw of it the sooner he might become a worthy member of the Order . He should adopt the

advice of the Master and attend Lodges of Instruction for the purpose of acquiring a knowledge of the ritual . Bro . Birch followed . He hoped he might prove himself a worthy member of the Order , and live long to enjoy the good feeling manifested in the Domatic Lodge , in which he hoped some day to occupy ono of the prominent offices . The toast of the visitors was the next on the list , and that was given

most heartily from the chair . The Master felfc there was not a Lodge in England whose members were moro ready and pleased to welcome visitors than this . To each of the guests present he tendered the heartiest good wishes of the Domatic Lodge , and he trusted that the entertainment provided had that night been the means of affording a few hours enjoyment to the brethren of other

Lodges who had honoured the members with their presence . Several of the visitors having responded , the Master gave the toast of the Past Masters . The Past Masters of the Domatic Lodge were a body of brethren ever ready to do their duty ; ifc would be a hard task for any Master to have to got on without ; them . Thoy were all ready to perform the work of any office they might be called upon

to fill , and were each capable of working any parfc of the ritual . Bro . YValford , as the senior Past Master present , had the pleasure of responding first to tho toast . There was a time when he should perhaps have thought it an honour to be ranked as the Senior Pa « b Master of tho Domatic Locige , bnt now ho sometimes almost wished he was an initiate again . Sitting so near the W . M ., and

looking at the long array of P . M . ' s on his loft , mado him feel very old . Still he felfc ifc a great honour to rank as a Past Master of tho Domatic Locige , which was one of the oldest , one of tho most numerous , and one of tho most respected Lodges under the rule of the Grand Locige of England , or , indeed , anywhere in the Craft . He and his brother Pasfc Masters were always ready to do what

they could , and were at all times pleased to meet with such a re . ception as had just been accorded them . Bro . Ferguson followed , and then Bro . Kent added a few words . The Past Masters , he said , cultivated a thorough good feeling towards the brethren , and towards each other . They wore proud of their position , and hoped they might always retain the respect and esteem of the members of

the Lodge . Bro . White felt , as a P . M ., he could not do better than advise the new Officers to make themselves thoroughly efficient in the working and ritual of the several degrees . The toast of the Treasurer and Secretary came next . The Master expressed a hope , which he felt sure "was the hope of every brother present , thafc their worthy Treasurer might live for many , many years and

enjoy good health . His services to the Lodge were so well known , and of so gratifying a nature—so far as the way in which they were carried out was concerned—that no better evidence of Bro . Everett ' s ability was needed . In Bro . Morris thoy had a worthy and painstaking Secretary , ono who fulfilled the duties of tho office most efficiently , and was entitled to the respect at \ d esteem of every member of

the Lodge . He ( tho W . M . ) had recently had an opportunity of seeing how well Bro . Morn ' s kept the books and other matters appertaining to the Lodge , and could only say that to Bros . Morris and Everett tlio Lodgo was equally indebted . Bro . Everett laboured under a great disadvantage , being called npon to speak at that late hour ; as he had before said , ho liked to speak to a full audience , not to empty

benches . He could bufc again thank the members of the Lodge for the office they had conferred on him , aud express a hopo that everything might go on in the future as they might desire . lie felt tho Lodge had something to boast of , inasmuch as during the past year something liko forty guineas of its funds was spent in charity , and even under those circumstances the brethren fonnd themselves at the

end of the year in possession of a handsome balance . Ho hoped they might continue in the future as they always bad bt'on in tho ;> ast—a Lodge held iu the highest esteem by all who were ¦ eqiiainted with it . Bro . Morris thanked tho brethen . The present was the fourth occasion on which ho had tho honour of being ap . pointed to the office of Secretary . He hoped he might give sa