Metropolitan.

METROPOLITAN .

— : o : — UPTON LODGE , No . 1227 . THE members of this Lodge celebrated their annual Installation on Thursday , when a successful and pleasant meeting was held at the Three Nuns Hotel , Aidgate . Bro . Charles Schmidt the

W . M . of the past year presided at the initial stage of the proceedings , there being a large attendance of members to support himamong them Past Masters Gieseke ( Treasurer ) , Free ( Secretary ) , E . Hill , J . Stroud , W . Hay ward , and S . Toye—together with a goodly array of Visitors . The proceedings having been formally commenced the minutes

were confirmed , and the W . M . advanced his Lodge and regularly raised Bro . D . Cooper Duncan to the third degree . Tho reception and adoption of the Auditors' Report was the next business , and this having been disposed of the event of the day—the Installation of the new Master , Bro . Samuel Toye Past Master , was proceeded with , the ceremony being ably performed by Bro . John Mason , who officiated in the unavoidable absence of Bro . James Terry , who , we regret to learn , is indisposed .

Having been saluted in regular form the new Master proceeded to appoint the following as his Assistant Officers : E . M . Jeffeiy S . W ., G . A . Peters J . W ., C Gieseke P . M . Treas ., C . J . Free P . M . Sec , H . Hyde S . D ., W . A . Bray J . D ., H . B . Brown I . G ., E . Hill P . M . D . C ., A . Butcher and A . J . C . Miller Stewards , W . Sherwin Organist , T . Bowler Tyler .

After the investments the work of the Installation was completed and the Master proceeded to close the Lodge . Before doing so ho desired that a vote of thanks should be passed from the Lodge to their Brother Mason , who had t fficiently discharged the duties of Installing Officer that day . All must have been gratified at the way in which the ceremony was performed ; as it had been most impressive and was likely to make its mark on those who had heard it .

The Immediate Past Master seconded the proposition . He felt particularly obliged to Bro . Mason , who had really performed a work he himself should have undertaken , but he felt the installation was beyond his power , and hoped the Brethren would excuse his having secured a more capable Brother to perform this part of the work . The vote was unanimously agreed to , and Bro . Mason briefly acknowledged the compliment paid him .

The next duty the Master regarded as a particulaily pleasing one , being the presentation to the Immediate Past Master of the jewel which had been voted from the Lodge , in recognition of the very able and efficient manner in which Bro . Schmidt had

discharged the duties of his office during the term of his Mastership , In presenting it the W . M . expressed the hope that in years to come the recipient might regard it as evielence of the kindly feelings entertained towards him in the Lodge , and as a mark of appreciation of services faithfully discharged in its behalf .

Bro . Schmidt replied , tendering his thanks for the presentation , and expressing the pride he felt in the knowledge that the members considered he had done his duty . He hoped to continue his connection with the Lodge for very many years , and trusted he would have many opportunities of advancing its welfare .

Hearty good wishes having been tendered by the visitors the Lodge was closed and the company adjourned to the banquet hall , where the remainder of a pleasant evening was spent . The Visitors included Bros . J . J . Williams li > 3 , W . W . Morgan 177 , James Smith P . M . 933 , J . Mason P . P . S . G . D . Middlesex , W .

V . Woodman 1549 , C . J . R . Tijou P . A . G . P . England , R . Drysdale P . M . 1766 , H . Herman 1602 , J . L . King 1339 , W . Jones 2264 , V . Lamare 1922 , C . Westwood 1343 , G . F . Gildersleeve S . W . 1278 , F . Toye S . D . 1278 , A . Benlow P . M . 619 , John Simpson 177 , W . C . Ferris 1901 , F . S . Gill 1922 , E . Hartley 1278 , Thomas Cohn P . M . 192 , & c .

At the conclusion of the repast the Master submitted the usual loyal toasts , and then gave that of the Grand Officers who , he said , were very much engaged in Freemasonry , or rather he might perhaps say that they had won their high office by engaging themselves very much in the work of the Craft .

Bro . C . J . R . Tijou Past Grand Pursuivant responded , and having tendered thanks on behalf of the body he represented , said he considered it most unfortunate East London diu not see more of the Grand Lodge Officers . Whether it was the fault of the Worshipful Masters or Secretaries of East End Lodges in not inviting Grand Officers to the regular meetings of their Lodges or

whether they did not care to come so far east he could not say , but certain it was they were generally conspicuous by their absence , and as a result he was usually the only Grand Officer present at any meetings he attended . He was , however , aware that other Officers of Grand Lodge had opportunities of visiting the district , and did not avail themselves of it , which he might venture to say was wrong ,

as he felt wearers of the purple should make themselves conversant with what was going on among their Brethren of the blue . It stimulated the latter body to more energetic . action , for it must be remembered that activity in the one branch led to preferment to the other . While claiming that the Officers of Grand Lodge had much to do he felt it was also true that much of the work of the Craft

was carried through by the wearers of the light blue , who could not help feeling that as soon as promotion came to a Mason gout or something of the sort kept him away from general assemblies of the Craft . If the majority of the Grand Lodge Officers did not care to attend the meetings of the Board of Benevolence for five hours at a time , as some of them had to do , they might at least make

some effort to occasionally grace some of the Installation meetings with their presence . He spoke thus plainly because he hoped that some day East London would receive that full recognition in Grand Lodge that he considered was its due . Some years ago a proposal had been made to divide London into districts , and the East End took an active part in that movement , as then the district

Metropolitan.

would have received better recognition , but he was not an advocate of the steps then proposed . He would much rather see greater activity and more united action in the district , and then it would no doubt follow that more honours would come their way . He specially urged the Masons of the east to secure proper

representation on the Board of Benevolence . At least two of the elected members of that Board should come from the east end Lodges , whereas now they had only one of their number among the chosen twelve . Alter continuing further in the same strain the speaker concluded by saying that it was the apathy of East London in tho past that had led to its being so neglected .

The Immediate Past Master gavo the toast of the W . M . The Lodge now had a good Mason in the chair , who would no doubt manage their affairs satisfactorily . He deserved that the members should pay him due honour . Bro . Toye acknowledged the toast . The present was the second time that he had had the honour of representing tho members in

the Upton Lodge . He was gratified that on each occasion his election had been unanimous . He thanked the members for their confidence , and should endeavour to faithfully discharge the duties of his office . He felt a few words of explanation were due to account for his selection . The Senior Warden Bro . Millington did not desire to go on to the front , and it became necessary to choose

c ne of the Past Masters to take the management of the Lodgehence he was in his piesent proud position . It must not be thought , however , that their Bro . iUiliington had no interest in the work , the fact that only a few years back he qualified as Governor of all the Charities in one year was in itself proof that fie had the true spirit of Masonry at heart . He regretted the break in the

continuity of promotion , as he felt it was always best for Brethren to go forward in rotation , but when a Brother felt he was not able to take up the responsibilities of the chair it was far better he should stand aside than do anything likely to . injure the Lodge . They must all hope that Bro . Millington would ore long take the position he was justly entitled to in their midst .

The next toast was that of the Installing Master , and with it tho W . M . connected that of the Charities , Bro . Mason being so intimately associated therewith . He was , in fact , an important part of the Benevolent Institution . They tendered him their heartiest thanks for having come forward that day and discharged the duties of Installing Officer , and he was sure the way in which Bro . Mason had carried out the work entitled him to the thanks of

the whole of the members of the Lodge . As they had the Masonic Institutions to couple with the toast it made it a very comprehensive one . Brother Toye spoko of the amounts being spent year by year by the Institutions , with one of which—the Benevolent—Brother Mason had been associated for many years . That Institution alone provideei annuities for upwards of 400 old people , who each received quarter by quarter amounts that carried them through life , and as such it was worthy of their waimest sympathy .

Bro . Mason replied . He felt the Institutions spoke for themselves pretty loudly . The Girls School was carrying on a grand work and the Boys School was likewise doing all that lay in its power to relieve the necessities of the younger members who needed help from the Craft , but beyond these was a third fund—the Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and their

Widows-r-which was doing much to relieve the closing days of the aged , and was equally deserving the support of the Craft . Unfortunately the last two years their Annual Festivals had not realised enough to pay the Annuities they were actually pledged to , and the prospects were anything but bright for the next . Of course they would be reminded that a year or two before they had celebrated their Jubilee ,

and had then met with phenomenal success , but that did . not help them in their present shortcomings , the special receipts in connection with that Jubilee having been devoted to a special purpose , and not being intended to pay current Annuities . Bro . Mason made a special appeal to the Brethren of the east end of London , and we hope the result of his advocacy will soon make itself apparent in additions to the Stewards' list .

The next toast was that of the Immediate Past Master , which was given from the chair . Bro . Toye said their Bro . Schmidt had performed his work in such a manner as to win their regard . The difficulties he laboured under in the matter of dialect : —if he might so term it—were considerable , and when they came to consider what he must have accomplished so as to make himself as perfect as he had done he was more than ever entitled to their esteem and

regard . Bro . Schmidt , in response , said he very much felt the flattering way in which the Worshipful Master had referred to his work . If he could believe their utterances he might certainly feel that he had won the gratification of the members . "

Now followed a very pleasing feature in the day's proceedings . Bro . Carrow , one of the initiates of the past year , saying he had a very pleasant duty to perform on behalf of the newly admitted members of the year , who desired through him to express the great pleasure they had experienced and the kindly instruction they had received from the ruler of the Lodge , Bro . Schmidt . They trusted

he would live long to wear the signet ring he was desired to present in the joint names of the year ' s initiates , and that for many years to come their friend and Brother would be able to continue his actions for the benefit of the Lodge . The presentation was a complete surprise to the letinng Master , and was generally regarded as a most pleasing departure from the dull routine of custom .

The Master next proposed the toast of the Visitors , who were accorded a hearty welcome . Brother Smith 933 was the first to respond , referring to the pleasure he felt in being again present as a Visitor . He had the satisfaction of installing the piesent Master on the occasion of

his first promotion to the chair of the Lodge , and they had since worked together in various Lodges of lnstiuction and elsewhere , so that he had some authority for saying that the Brethren of the Order were always pleased to see Bro . Toye , and readily congratulated him on his well merited proferment ' .