Reports Of Meetings.

REPORTS OF MEETINGS .

We shall be pleased to receive particulars of Masonic meetings for insertion in our columns , and where desired will endeavour to send a representative to report -Lodge or other proceedings . CRAFT : METROPOLITAN .

ROYAL ATHELSTAN LODGE , No . 19 . THE members celebrated their installation , and inaugurated the 126 th year in tho history of the Lodge , on Thursday of last week , at the Cannon Street Hotel , when the Lodge was opened by Brother John Henry Whadcoat W . M . of the past year , who was well supported during the meeting by Past Masters , Officers and ordinary members of the Lodge , with several Visitors .

The company included Past Masters : W . M . Bywater P . G . S . B . England , Charles Tyler , James Dix , William Pound ( Steward ) , Daniel Nicholson , F . E . W . Collard , Henry Glenn ( Treasurer ) , George Sneath , Charles B . Barnes ( Secretary ) , G . Hardman Hoyle , Arthur Wormull , Henry Poston , and A . Digby Green ; Brothers : Milton Smith , E . G . Young , W . F . Stauffer , G . Eisdon Carsberg , W . Stacey , Money Marsland , W . P . Campbell-Everden .

J . P . Hinckel , M . Pulvorman , G . Stevens , 0 . Marsland , M . Miroy , A . C . Burnley , W . E . Whadcoat , T . E . Williams . Visitors : Alderman Sir Joseph C . Dimsdale Grand Treasurer of England , Reginald St . A . Roumieu Grand Superintendent of Works England , C . F . Hogard Past Grand Standard Bearer England , Alderman W . Vaughan Morgan I . P . M . 96 , A . J . Hollington P . M . 58 W . M . 2396 Past Grand Steward , E . E . Cooper P . M . 8 Past Grand

Steward , H . M . Bates P . M . 91 P . G . S ., W . R . Cato 2470 , J . P . Kennedy 2470 , E . W . Carter P . M . 858 , A . S . Johns 321 New York , Harold Woodcock 2470 , E . G . Banks 1987 , W . H . Whadcoat , B . A ., LL . B ., 4 , J . B . Sorrell P . M . and Treasurer 1260 , W . J . Longhurst W . M . 227 , R . M . H . Griffiths 1677 , W . W . N . Strong W . M . 22 , W . W . Morgan 177 , E . B . Lumley 2323 , H . J . Tibbatts I . P . M . 2396 J . W . 1385 , J . Vezey Strong 1538 , 0 . E . Birch P . G . J . W . Herts P . P . J . G . W . Kent .

The Lodge was regularly opened and the Minutes confirmed , after which the Report of the Audit Committee was submitted and received . The ballot proved favourable on behalf of two gentlemen , Mr . Charles Smith and Mr . Charles Edmund Wells , and they were regularly admitted to the benefits of Masonic light . Bro . George W . Capel , a member of tho Royal Lebanon Lodge , No . 493 , was admitted as a Joining Member , and then followed the chief event of the day—tho installation of Bro . Milton Smith .

Bro . W . M . Bywater P . G . Sword Bearer , who filled the chair of the lloyal Athelstan Lodge in 1853 , and is now its oldest member , officiated as Installing Master , and right well did he carry out his duties , addressing tho Officers and Brethren in brilliant style . Bro . Milton Smith was also efficient in the work of investing his

Assistant Officers , the collars of the Lodge being distributed as follows : E . G . Young S . W ., W . F . Staufier J . W ., H . Glenn P . M . Treas ., C . B . Barnes P . M . Sec , G . R . Carsberg S . D ., W . Stacey J . D ., Money Marsland I . G ., W . M . Bywater P . M . P . G . Swd . B . D . C , W . Pound P . M . Steward , W . P . Campbell-Everden Organist , G . Gilbert Tyler .

Before closing his Lodge the new Master expressed tho pleasure he had experienced in having to invest so able a Mason as Bro . J . H . Whadcoat with the collar of Immediate Past Master . ' He had also tho further gratification of presenting him with the jewel voted at the last meeting of the Lodge and so well deserved by its recipient . Considering the pains the I . P . M . had taken to properly mark the 125 th Anniversary of fche Royal Athelstan Lodge ,

to secure the comfort of the Brethren , and above all the efforts he had made to place the Benevolent Fund of the Lodge on a firm basis , ho had well deserved the honours the Lodge had been able to confer . Tbo Master said he was also much pleased at having to present to his predecessor the illuminated address which had been voted by the Lodge , as a more tangible expression of thanks , and he should also like Bro . Whadcoat ' s acceptance on

his own behalf of a framed portrait group of the Past Masters and chief Officers of the Lodge . We recorded tho terms of tha illuminated address when reporting the proceedings of the December meeting of the Lodge . It was handsomely engrossed and illuminated , and signed on behalf of the Lodge by the following :

W . M . BYWATER P . G . Swd . B . P . M . D . C , Father of the Lodge . ARTHUR DIGBY GREEN I . P . M . HENRY GLENN P . M . and Treasurer . C . B . BARNES P . M . Secretary . MILTON SMITH Senior Warden . E . 0 . YOUNG Junior Warden .

Brother Whadcoat briefly acknowledged the presentations . He had beon very much surprised , ho remarked , at the last meeting of the Lodge to hear the terms in which the testimonial bad been voted , on' the proposition of Past Master Bywater , seconded by Bro . Past Master Barnes , and he could only assure the members that he was most gratified to hear his year of office had satisfied them . It had most certainly been particularly satisfactory to himself .

The Secretary announced the death of Bro . A . Ramsey , ono of the members of the Lodge , since its last meeting , and the regret of some of the invited guests that they were prevented from attending . These latter included Bros , the Lord Mayor , Colonel T . Sewell Davies , Alderman Davies , Sheriff Hand , Sir Reginald Hanson , and others .

The Lodge was then closed , and the company adjourned to the banquet , which was not only of a choice character , but was most efficiently served , a large staff of waiters being well directed by Bro . Aptommas , the Manager , while the whole of the arrangements were personally supervised by Bro . T . Puzey , one of the Proprietors of the establishment .

The new Master commenced the toast list by the proposition of the Queen , our beloved sovereign . While Her Majesty could not be a Mason herself she had shown her interest by patronising the Masonic Institutions , and was ably supported by members of her family , who had won distinction in the Craft . As the daughter of a Mason and the Mother of Masons her sympathies were deep , and throughout the globe wherever her name and tho

principles of Freemasonry were reverenced we mi ght expect to find peace and harmony . Proposing the Grand Master ' s health Bro . Milton Smith said in all ages Monarchs had been promoters of Freemasonry , and exchanged the Sceptre for the Trowel . In Great Britain , since King Athelstan nearly 1 , 000 years ago granted Freemasons a Charter , probably none of the many Princes who had supported the Craft had done so much for Masonry as the present Grand Master ; thoy little knew but that his high position and interest in

Reports Of Meetings.

the Craft might have done much in the interests of international peace and goodwill . The third toast on the list , said the Master , was an important ono on that occasion , as they had some Grand Officers present . Brethren might be apt to look upon the Grand Officers as simply adorned with splendour and armed with power , but their duties were varied and onerous—the work of the Board of Benevolence alone proving this . Sir Joseph Dimsdale had

secured tho Grand Treasurership , an office always keenly contested for , and securing for any Brother who filled it a large share of honour ; then they had Brother Roumieu , whose office was certainly one of distinction ; Brother Hogard , who was a frequent and always welcome visitor ; and their own member , Bro . Bywater , who was in reality a Grand Officer of Grand Officers , he being the one Sword Bearer of the twenty-eight appointed on the occasion of the Queen's Jubilee selected to carry the sword in front of the Grand Master on that occasion .

Sir Joseph Dimsdale , in reply , said ho felt it no small honour to be called upon to respond to the compliment paid tho Grand Officers of England . He rose that night with sorrow , because that day the turf had closed over one who was a staunch Mason and a true man—one who would leave a green memory behind him . He referred to the late Colonel Money . He was not unconscious he was called upon to respond that night for the living , but he

might also pay a tribute to the dead . He recognised Grand Lodge as the mainspring of the Craft , which during recent years had made great strides , which he attributed to the one fact that the Order was established on that great solid rock—the Volume of the Sacred Law ; Freemasons striving to do their duty to the Great Architect of tho Universe and to their follow men . They had had the ceremony of installation carried out that night by

a member of Grand Lodge , which showed that , while they of Grand Lodge criticised , they were yet able to work . He trusted thafc during his term of office he had made friends whom he might trust should the storm of adversity ever overtake him . He felt that his year of office had been productive of great benefit to himself , and hoped none of those who supported him at his election , and helped to secure him the office , had since had occasion to regret doing so .

Bro . Roumieu followed . The duties of Grand Superintendent of Worki were most interesting , and although there had not been much to do during his year of office the little he had done had helped to build him into the building they all loved . In occupying his office ho followed a long line of distinguished men , and it was an honour in itself to be associated with such names as were included in the past holders of the appointment .

Immediate Past Master Bro . Whadcoat next proposed the health of the Master Bro . Milton Smith , who , he said , was initiated in that Lodge in 1885 , and had had the honour that evening of investing with a collar of office the Brother who introduced him into the Lodge—he meant their Secretary Bro . Barnes , to whom they were all indebted for having brought to the Lodge a Mason who had so ably filled the chair during the brief period he had that day occupied it . Their Master had worked well in the past , and that day was reaping the reward he so well deserved .

Responding to the toast of his health , the Master said he was exceedingly obliged by the remarks of the I . P . M . as well as for the hearty reception accorded to the toast . He would endeavour , now that he had started well , to satisfy the Lodge during his term of office . Before associating himself with the Order he had seen sufficient to appreciate those he knew to be Masons , and had felt he could not do better than be one himself . Since he had joined the Craft he had learnt to respect its members yet further .

Circumstances had marked him as specially associated with the Royal Athelstan Lodge , for he was born on the anniversary of the foundation of the Lodge , was married during its centenary year , had been initiated as a Mason on the anniversary of his wife ' s birthday , and was just passing out of his silver wedding as he had risen to the highest office in the Lodge . He had done his best so far in the Lodge , and they might rest in the knowledge that he would do his utmost in the future .

Bro . D . Nicholson P . M . submitted the toast of the Initiates . He need not point out the necessity of having new men introduced into such a society as Freemasonry—without them it would die out . He came there twentyeight years ago , and had enjoyed himself as a member of the Lodge ever since . He trusted the Initiates of that day might have as happy an experience , and reap as much pleasure from the Lodge as he had done .

Bro . Charles Smith tendered cordial thanks for the honour conferred on him that evening , and ventured to express the hope he might be found a worthy member of the Order . Bro . Wells likewise hoped to prove a worthy member , and begged to offer his fraternal greetings in return for the hearty ones tendered him that day .

Next on the list was fche toast of fche Immediate Past Master , the Installing Master , and the Past Masters—a formidable combination , said the Worshipful Master . He had originally proposed to divide this into three toasts , but had united them , in order to save time . The Past Masters of a Lodge were really its strength and its support . They had a strong column of Past Masters belonging to the Royal Athelstan—upwards of

twenty , which might be regarded as a good foundation for any Lodge . They all knew the readiness with which their Past Masters backed up tho Masters ; they were not only good workers in the Lodge , but also zealous supporters of the Charities . Notable in this respect was the I . P . M . Bro . Whadcoat , who last year served as Steward for all three of the Institutions , and proposed to do so again this year . Their Installing Master Bro . Bywater was known

throughout the Craft as a good P . M . and an efficient worker , while their I . P . M . had done so much for the Lodge that it was difficult to recount his services . Not only had he conduced to the augmentation of their Lodge Benevolent Fund by £ 500 , but he had personally seen to the renovation of the Furniture of the Lodge , which , in an old Lodge like theirs , must naturally have shown signs of age . Bro . Whadcoat had indeed won the esteem and respect of the members .

Bro . Whadcoat was the first to respond . He felt bound to obey the command of the presiding Officer , else he should revolt against replying in front of the noble array of Past Masters before him , and especially Brother Bywater . He fully appreciated the illuminated address and tho portraits of all the living Past Masters and Officers of the Lodge that had been presented him that day , and should look upon them as a memento of one of the brightest years of his life .

Bro . Bywater wished he could accept as deserving , one half of the encomiums passed upon him by the Worshipful Master . If anything he had done had afforded pleasure he was delighted . Bro . Tyler ( Master in 1855 ) responded for the remainder of the toast . The Past Masters around him were veritable boys compared with himself , if

he might say so . It was a great regret to him that his health had not allowed of his attendance more frequently in recent years . He was pleased to see the interest displayed in the Lodge by the members , and hoped the younger ones would derive as much pleasure in tho office of Master , when their turn came round , as ho did forty years ago .