Reports Of Meetings.

In regular order Bro . Sam Garcia P . M . was introduced as W . M .-elect , and those who know the Lodge best almost experienced a pang of regret that the particularly efficient Director of Ceremonies they had been accustomed to associate with the Lodge was on this occasion out of his regular place ; but Bro . Garcia is but

human , and he could hardly occupy two positions at once—despite his special qualification for the Office of D . C . he could not present himself for installation ; as a consequence he had to relegate his usual duty to another—for a time only , we venture to think the future will prove .

Having been placed in the chair of the Lodge Bro . Garcia invested his Officers , as follow : Bros . J . H . Mitchell S . W ., F . A . Baldwin J . W ., R . J . Smerdon Treasurer , R . D . Cummings P . M . P . Z . Secretary , William Short S . D ., E . F . James J . D ., J . R . Musto I . G ., J . H . Moggridge P . M . D . C , Dr . J . F . Haskins Past Prov . G . Org . Herts , a , nd Essex Organist , T . Moore , C . Duvall , A . Benjamin , and E . Wallis Stewards , R . H . Goddard P . M . Tyler .

The remainder of the installation ceremony wa . s regularly gone through , and other business having been disposed of the Lodge was closed , when the Brethren repaired to the banquet room , where the rest of a most enjoyable evening was spent . After an excellent banquet the W . M . submitted the customary

toasts . He felt there was little doubt but that the English Brotherhood now had as good a Grand Master in H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught as it was possible to find , and if the Duke only had more leisure he was convinced he would do very much more than was now possible for him to undertake in connection with Freemasonry .

In proposing the health of the Grand Officers the W . M . said it was a toast they would all receive with a great amount of pleasure . On that occasion they had four Grand Officers present , Bros . Everett , Spaull , McLeod and J . J . Thomas , each of whom they most cordially welcomed . Personally he felt very grateful to those distinguished Brethren for their attendance , and hoped they had enjoyed their visit .

Bro . George Everett P . G . Treas . responded . He regarded it as a great honour , a pleasure and a privilege , to have his name associated with the toast of the Grand Officers of England . It was a source of gratification to him to be present on that occasion to do honour to the name of Derby Allcroft , the Brother who really broke down the barrier that previously existed in connection with the

Grand Treasurership which , until his time was really regarded as a permanent position in the . Grand Lodge of England . From the time of Bro . Allcroft until the present there had been a changea new election—year by year for the Grand Treasurership , and they could but rejoice it was so in face of the fact that the Craft , had but

two elective Offices . The Lodge at which he had the pleasure of being present was always looked upon as a sort of Grand Treasurers ' Lodgte , as the result of what he had referred < to , and he—as a proud representative of the Office—was indeed pleased to be present at its installation meeting . Bro . Spaull also responded as a Past Grand Officer .

The W . M . next proposed the toast of the Masonic Charities . They of the Derby Allcroft Lodge loved all the Institutions , but if they had a tender spot in their hearts it was on behalf of the Boys School , perhaps because , unfortunately , they had had to call upon the resources of that Institution on behalf of sons of some of their

deceased members . He was very pleased indeed that the Lodge had voted twenty-five guineas in support of his Stewardship for that Institution , and hoped his list would be liberally supported by the members individually . The other Institutions were equally deserving with the Boys School , but they of the Derby Allcroft Lodge could not get away from the fact that they were specially interested in the one Institution .

Bro . J . M . McLeod replied . He felt the Institution he represented had a particular claim on the Lodge , as he did not think there was any other body of Masons who could point to no less than four pupils elected to the benefits of the School , of whom three were at the present time receiving education and maintenance within its walls . There was a particular feature in regard to one of the lads

elected from the Derby Allcroft Lodge that might also be mentioned , as the father was only initiated a few days before his death—he was stricken down in apparent good health-, and although he died a mere Entered Apprentice yet his son was elected to the Schoola unique case , showing the benefits of Masonic Brotherhood on behalf of the child of so young a member of the Order .

Bro . Nathan Robinson I . P . M . felt he had no mean task to perform in submitting the toast of the Worshipful Master . He did not think it displayed any art of oratory to repeat time after time phrases that had been used on dozens of occasions , and there was also the possibility of remarks being brouglit up as evidence against

one at a succeeding meeting ; but he felt he might say the Brethren would do honour to themselves , and please the present Master of the Lodge , if they supported his Stewardship on behalf of the Boys School . Bro . Garcia was known in Freemasonry as an excellent exponent of its principles and would doubtless add to the reputation of their Lodge during his term of Office .

The W . M . 'replied . The remarks he had so far addressed to the Lodge had come spontaneously , but now he appeared to be faced by something quite special . He gave them his most sincere thanks for their reception . He had to follow such good Masters , such good workers , that he feared being able to do all that had been done bv them , but he should endeavour to do all in his power for

the benefit of the Lodge during his year of Office . He did not know how to thank the members for the honour conferred upon him . Within a few days of the election he had no idea but that the Senior Warden was going on , and when it was announced to him that he had been selected as Master he was particularly gratified ,

becnuse the Brethren conferred a special honour upon him , inasmuch as they had only seen his work in the one Office of Director of Ceremonies . The Lodge was established as far back as 1 S 8 7 , he joined it in 1 S 8 S and had seen Brethren initiated in the Lodge go forward to the chair . In selecting Officers to support him during

Reports Of Meetings.

the year he might have passed over some who felt they should have been promoted , but what he had done he had attempted in the interests of the Lodge so far as his ability dictated . The next toast given was that of the visitors , to which Bros . Manuel , Morgan , Lee , and Griffiths responded .

The W . M . afterwards proposed the health of the Installing Officer , which he regarded as really the toast of the evening . The Brethren who had seen the working of Bro . Robinson were able to appreciate what he had accomplished , and the manner in which he had done it . His year of Office had been a most unfortunate one , for in consequence of ill health and domestic worry he had

been unable to give that attention to the Lodge he so greatly desired . He trusted he might be spared in health to enjoy the respect he had won from the members . He had much pleasure in presenting him with the jewel of Past Master of the Lodge , and in doing so assured him the intrinsic value of the jewel was really the least part of it in the estimation of the Brethren who presented it .

He felt sure Bro . Robinson would support the chair as well as any of his predecessors had done , and trusted they might have the pleasure of seeing him among them for many years to come . The W . M . desired to include in the toast the health of the Past Masters , the Treasurer and Secretary , specially referring to the work

performed by the latter Brother , whom he regarded as one of the props of the Lodge—really the chief of all . Bro . Cummings was one of the founders of the Lodge and the members felt very pleased indeed that they had such an enthusiastic Brother to support the Worshipful Master in the chair .

Bro . Robinson replied , tendering his thanks , although he said he felt he did not altogether deserve the jewel the Brethren had been good enough to present him . He might say that Brother Nathan Robinson had never been known to forget a kindness . He

recognised their kindness that day , and if in the future there was anything he could do to promote the welfare or further the interests of the Lodge he should be delighted to do it . If he said he was not respected by the members of the Lodge he felt he should not be truthful . He again thanked them .

Bro . Cummings also responded—briefly but to the point . He felt the artistes engaged to entertain the company could do much better than he and so would content himself with brief expressions of thanks . The interests of the Derby Allcroft Lodge had long been his first care , and he trusted it would be the same to the end of his days .

Other toasts were given , the proceedings not being concluded until a late hour .

1 here was a splendid programme of music and entertainment provided , under the direction of Bro . Dr . Haskins , with Madame Steiner at the' piano . The vocalists included Bros . G . Uttley , Will Edwards and Frank Hook , while Bro . Dr . F . Byrd Page performed some " Ancient and modern mysteries " with such good effect as to mystifv even the most clever and most widely experienced among

the company—and in view of what we heard that is praise indeed . It is very certain that Bro . Byrd Page is too clever for ordinary Brethren , despite his manifest desire to show his audience " how the tricks are done . " As we wrote on a recent occasion it is most unwise to believe what one sees done with a nack of cards when in

the hands of such a clever manipulator as the worthy Doctor . No wonder he can tell stories of his experiences with our last Grand Master and other dignitaries of the empire—he has a world-wide reputation , and when in such form as he was last week at the Allcroft Lodge is well able to sustain and even increase it .

The Visitors included Bros . A . C . Spaull P . D . G . D . C , J . J . Thomas P . G . Std . Br ., George Everett P . G . Treas ., J . M . McLeod P . G . Sword Bearer , H . Emlyn 2 S 67 , J . Kift 1791 , R . G . Robinson x . - . M . 55 , J . D . Myers P . M . 2020 , John Ncwbery S . W . 2380 , W . W . Lee P . M . 23 81 , N . B . Robinson T . D . 55 , T . H . Russell Chaplain 2408 , R . M . H . Griffith 16 77 , c - ^ - Hutchinson 1418 , C . W .

Hawtrey S . D . 957 , J . E . Hambleton P . M . 1319 , W . A . Brown y ^ , John Bull 780 , J . Jacobs P . M . 25 , J . R . Evan 1000 , Robert Manuel P . M . 1196 , D . W . Fowler 511 , H . C . Goodall 2817 , T . F . Bryen S . D . 20 4 0 , W . Rills 170 S , R . Ml . Paul 2020 , A . Pettit P . M . 1732 , Robert Hume W . M . 1631 ; , E . C . Beall 1507 , W . Lewis 1366 , H . Reach 55 ,

G . E . Cummings 2708 , George Uttley , H . E . Sanders 55 , C . Kiefert 1319 , D . Gottlieb 1319 , Thomas Sweeney 16 ( S . C . ) , C . H . Mossfield 24 S 8 , F . Byrd Page 1611 , W . W . Morgan 177 , S . G . Asher 248 S , T . J . Bolton P . M . Sec . 168 7 , G . H . Barnes P . M . 168 7 , N . Mitchell 226 5 , H . B . Marks 40 ^ , S . Myers 715 , A . Rowland 2020 , J . H . Baker 2427 , & c .

A Masonic Family.

A MASONIC FAMILY .

THE " American Tyler " gives a photographic group of a Masonic family at Stonypoint , Michigan—Reuben Strait and his descendants , six sons and a grandson . Our contemporary remarks . " Bro . Reuben Strait was made a Mason

in Hamilton Lodge , No . 113 , Moscow , Mich ., in 1864 , and has ten times been elected to the Office of Worshipful Master of the Lodge . His sons and grandsons were also initiated , passed and raised in Hamilton Lodge . At the conferring of the degrees on the youngest son , his father and brothers occupied the different stations in the Lodge . Were we given to punning we might remark on how natural

it is that such a Strait family should be so closely associated with the level and the square , but we are not . " In the group are ' -. Reuben Strait , age sixty-five years ; Eugene B . Strait , forty-two ; Thomas J . Strait , forty ; William H . Strait , thirty-eight ; Levi S . Strait , thirty-four ; Dewitt C . Strait , twenty-nine ; Ralph W . E . Strait , twenty-three ; and Ira WBuchanan , twenty-three .