Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

ch more inclined to thank the ladies for honouring us " ' th th « presence than to thank you for drinking their lth . However , on their behalf it is my duty to thank hea I think , perhaps , that they are pleased to be here , f'i ' nff it as in some degree making up to them for those , „ n : from which they are debarred by cruel tradition .

° The ccmpany then adjourned to the gardens , and conl and coffee rooms , and afterwards returned to town . " The music during the evening was performed chiefly by the pupi ' of tne Institution in a highly creditable manner .

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REPORTS , etc ., intended for insertion in current number , should reach t he Office , ( 198 , Fleet-street ) , by Six Qiclock p . m ., on Wednesdays .

Reports Of Masonic Meetings.

REPORTS OF MASONIC MEETINGS .

( Kraft Jftasonvj ) . LODGE OF ANTIQUITY ( No . 2 ) . —Tliis famous and ancient lodge assembled in unwonted numbers on Wednesday last , & t its monthly meeting at Freemasons ' Hall , f ° r tne purpose of initiating a candidate for Freemasonry in the first place , and then of installing H . R . H . Prince Leopold as W . M . The lodge opened at four , and Mr . Frederick Lassiter being in attendance , was balloted

for , accepted , and was initiated into Masonry by Bro . W . Hope , W . D . M . With that great and customary virtue of nun : tuality ( not a Masonic viitue , by the way ) for which our Royal Family are so distinguished , H . R . H . Prince Leopold , attended by Bro . the Hon . Alexander Yorke , was announced soon after five . At this moment the lodge room presented a veiy striking and pleasant " coup d'ceil , "

the numerous " red collars " contiasting agreeably and effectively with the dark blue of Grand Lodge , and the light blue of the Craft . H R . H . having been presented by Bros . Col . Creaton , and Sampson Pierce , Past Masters , Bro . Colonel Stuart the oldest Past Master of the lodge , proceeded to instal H . R . H . in the chair of King Solomon ! The ceremony , which followed the old ritual of the Lodge

of Antiquity , and which slightly differs from the form in customary use , was most ably rendered by Bro . Colonel Stuart . After Prince Leopuld had been installed and received the due " Honours , " the Past Masters of the lodge first of all , and then the members ofthe lodge , were presented to His Royal Highness . The W . M . then proceeded to close the lodge in a

very workmanlike style . The brethren subsequently adjourned to a banquet , which was served in the Ladies ' Drawing Room , Freemasons' Tavern , under the distinguished presidency of their Royal Master . He gave , after grace was said by the Chaplain , the usual loyal and Masonic toasts with commendable clearness and forcib ' e brevity , and responded to the toast of " The W . M ., " most

ably proposed by the Installing Master , Bro . Col . Stuart , in most feeling and eloquent words . He also proposed "The Health of the Past Masters of the Lodge , " alluding , bt th warmly and humorously , to the services of the past Grand Officers , members of the lodge , Bros . Col . Stuart , Col . Creaton , the Grand Treas ., the I . P . M ., and Erasmus Wilson , who had so patriotically 1 r iught Cleopatra ' s

Needle to this country , and the members of the medical and legal profession present . Bro . Woodford returned thanks for the Past Masters , and remarked that H . R . H . that evening was i . istal ' ed W . M . of one of the oldest lodges in the world , and which , in one sense , might not unfairly be termed the mother lodge of Masonry , as far as England , and all lodges hailing from England ,

were concerned . After the retirement of His Royal Highness , the other toasts were proposed , concluding with the Tyler's taast . The brethren separated at an early hour , having spent a most enjoyable and unforgettable evening , to be carefully noted as an " alba dies" by the excellent Secretary , Bio . Barron , in the imperishable records of " Old Antiquity . " We may observe that the

arrangement of the tables was most artistic , reflecting the highest credit on Bro . Best , and the banquet was one which called for all praise as regards ail concerned , whether as to the careful skill wlii .-h planned it , or the "cuisine" which produced it . Among those present we observed Bros . P . M . ' s Col . Stuart , Creaton , Swinburne , Rae , Sampson Pierce , Master of Ceremonies ; Erasmus

"ilson , Holmes , Philbrick , Barren , Wharton , Hood , Woodford ; theD . M ., Bro . Hope ; P . Deacon and Greetham , Senior and Junior Wardens ; Pontifex and Twynam , Senior an ! Junior Deacons ; Stephen Pearce , Letchworth , Moore , Hilary , Skinntr , Taggar , Jolliffe , Organist ; Lissiter , and Splight , Tyler , P . G . Tyler for Surrey . Several ° f the b'ethren were abroad , and were unavoidably absent , There were no visitors except Bro . the Hon . A . Yorke .

. EVENING STAR LODGE ( No . 1719 ) . —The 'installation meeting of this lodge was heH on Tuesday evening at Freemasons' Hall , when there were pres : nt « os . Thomas N . Kirkham , W . M . ; A . J . Duff Filer , P . M . ; J , ° hn Aird , S . W . ; Wm . Sugg , J . W . ; J . Glaisher , P . G . D ., LrfaSi Magnus Ohren , Sec ; Thomas A . Greene , Wm . 7 'nn , Arthur Mead , Samuel Cutler , F . W . Hartley , D . r- Sues-. M . Mildred . L W . Sue-e-. W . Lidrlall . lames

{¦ awtie , G . C . Trewby , E . Hide , Alfred Lass , T . H . Martin , J- . P . Ellis , J . F . Porter , F . Davies ; and visitors Bros . S . ' "tee , P . M . Britannic , 33 ; J . W . Baldwin , P . M . 1423 ; J ; Methven , J . D . Fredk . ' of Amity , 452 ; W . R . Jones , " yhill , Scotland , 510 ; J . Aird , Britannic , 33 ; R . Har' i Kobt . Burns , 25 ; Garman , Canonbury , 6 57 ' ; E . Whar-J ? i Orpheus , 1906 ; Morgan , Sec . St . Michael ' s , 211 ; O . > m « nt , P . M . Abercorn , « i 549 ; C . Ohien , Fredk . of Amity ,

Reports Of Masonic Meetings.

452 ; Phelps , St . John Baptist Lodge ; Phillips , P . M . 475 ; Wilkins , St . George ' s , 140 ; E . Moss , Orpheus , 1706 ; F . Mead , Euphrates , 212 ; Henri de Solla , Montefiore , 1017 ; W . H . Bale . Vittuvian , 87 ; and H . Massey , P . M . Btadon , 619 ( Freemason ) . After the lodge had been opened , Bro . Ohren , Secretary , announced the resignation of two of its members , and the balance sheet and report were read and

adopted . Bro . J . W . Sugg , D . C , then installed Bro . John Aird as Worshipful Master , and the following brethren were appoiuted to office and invested : —Bros . Wm . Sugg , S W . ; T . A . Greene , J . W . ; James Glaisher , Treasurer ; Magnus Ohren , Secretary ; J \ mesGlaisher , S . D . ; Magnus Ohren . J . D . ; J . W . Sugg , l . G . and D . C ; G . C . Trewby , 1 st Steward ; Edward Hyde , 2 nd Steward ;

and Charles T . Speight , Tyler . On the motion of Bro . J . W . Sugg , D . C , seconded by Bro . Aird , W . M ., a P . M . 's jewel , of the value of £ 10 , was \ oted to Bro . Kirkham , P . M ., on his leaving the chair , as a mark of respect from the members . The W . M . presented the jewel in a complimentary speech , to which Bro . Kirkham made a feeling reply . Three new members were proposed , Mr . Walter

King for initialion , and Bros . A . Valon and McMillan . The lodge was then closed , and the brethren adjourned to Freemasons' Tavern , to a choice banquet . At the conclusion of the banquet the customary toasts were honoured . Bro . Filer , P . G . S . B ., responding to the toast of " The Grand Officers , " said-the W . M . had only done justice to the exertions of the Grand Officers , Present and Past , in giving

them credit for looking with anxious solicitude after the interests of the Craft . The adherents to Masonry of late years had been very numerous , and the fear of the Grand Officers was that this great accession might bring miny persons into the Order who ought not to belong to it . In the Evening Star Lodge , however , there was no fear that this would ever be the case . It was a class lodge of which

it might be predicted that under the auspices cf its members brethren of the proper Masonic stamp would be secured . He looked upon Masonry as a great pleasure and luxury , and , therefore , a person ought not to enter iuto it unless he could afford it . In the course of affairs some people rose while others went down , from circumstances which they could not control , and it was in such

circumstances of misfortune that Masonry might be looked to for assistance . They must not come into Masonry if in bad circumstances , and if known to be in bad circumstances they should not be admitted . He knew that all the brethren of the Evening Star L'idge were imbued with these principles , and with the true spirit of M isor . ry , and the more these principles were impressed upon Masons

in general the more benefited would Masonry be by it . Bro . Kirkham , I . P . M ., in proposing "The Health of the W . M ., " s-thl he had known him many years as a good man and a good friend . He had also known him in Masonry , but not to the extent that he hail as a personal friend ; but still what he had known of him in Masonry had proved that both in

Masonry and out of Masonry he was a thorough good man and good Mason . He was sure the W . M . would do his best to make his year of office a pleasurable and happy one for the brethren ; it was always his wish to make everybody and everything happy around him . He had always done so , and he would not fail to continue to do so . The W . M ., in reply , said that Bro . Kirkham had anticipated ,

and he should have withheld these observations until he had seen something more of him as a W . M . Nevertheless , he accepted the kind expressions with gratitude , and was extremely obliged to Bro . Kirkham for what he had said , and to the brethren for endorsing it . He would now pass to " a tupic more agreeable to him and to the members of the Evening Star Lodge , and propose " The Health of

the Visitors , " to whom he felt very much indebted for attending on the occasion of his insta'lation . He took it as a very great compliment to himself , anel he hoped the visit had been as agreeable to the visitors as the biethren of the lodge had endeavoured to make it . Bro . S . Peirce , P . M . 33 , in reply , said it was very seldom that he had to return thanks for such a distinguished body of visitors

although he frequently had to reply for visitors . He hailed it with a great deal of pleasure , because the lodge had for him a great attraction . Whatever lodge had an attraction most have something inherent in it . The Evening Star Lodge was a young lodge , but it was evidently a successful one . It had afforded him , and when he looked around the table he was sure the visitors woul I not deny him the

privilege of saying for them , that it had afforded them a great deal of pleasure to be present , first ii the lodge , because the rvork done there was so admiiable . The Installing Officer hid done his work so well that , although he ( Bro . Peirce ) had been in Masonry a quarter of a century , he had never seen the work better done . His style commended itself as a great Masonic example ,

and be was sure it must have impressed the junior members of the lodge with a great deal of respect for Masonry , and taught them what they were to anticipate from it . He sincerely hoped that among the younger members of the Evening Star Lodge a great part of the ceremony struck deep into their minds , and taught them that they must always pay that implicit respect to their

W . M ., which was the great essence and grand standpoint of Misonry . There might be among the visitors , and doubtless there were , those who knew the W . M ., who had had the honour conferred on him that day of being installed in the chair of the Evening Star Lodge . It had been his ( Bro . Peirce ' s ) happy fortune to know the W . M . for a considerable time , and he cordially re-echoed

the sentiment which fell from Bro . K krham , that whether in his social position , in the outer world , or as a Mason , they would find a great man in the W . M . He did not occupy in the outer world merely the position of a cypher ; he was a man in command of a great many men ; he was respected by a great mary men , by a great many acquaintances , by a numerous body of friends ; and where a man in the outer world could command that

Reports Of Masonic Meetings.

respect from friends and acquaintances , he must inevitably have the lasting regard of his brother Masons . It had been the greatest possible pleasure to him to see the W . M . placed in the chair of what they would now begin to call this distinguished lodge , and he hope-d Almighty God had not been invoked in vain that the W . M . mi ght have plenty of health and strength to carry out all those

principles that were inculcated in the Grand and Glorious Craft , and that the W . M . ' s year of office might go on , not only with comfort to himself , but , as he ( Bro . Peirce ) felt assured it must , with great pride to the Evening Star Lodge . The W . M . proposed "The I . P . M ., Bro . Kirkham , " to whom all the brethren owed their sincere thanks . There had been an earnest desire on the part of all the founders to

set a good example , and he trusted they would succeed . The two Past Masters had done their duty well , and they had won the greatest possible esteem . Their merits were known to very many lodges outside . The brethren had a ' ready heard this . Their merits were valued wherever they went , and particularly so in the other lodges to which they belonged . The feeling throughout the Craft in their favour

was universal , and their tfforts on behalf of everything associated with Freemasonry were highly appreciated . Bro . Kirkham replied , and , after thanking the W . M . and brethren very sincerely , expressed the hope thac the lodge would prosper . Of course , in the beginning of a lodge there were difficulties , but in the Evening Star Lodge there had been none that they had not been able to overcome .

He thought the brethren were happy in the choice of their first W . M . Of their second he would not say much . The W . M . next gave "The Health of the Installing Master , " and , in the high encomiums he passed on Bro . J . W . Sugg ' s working , reiterated what had been said by Bro . Peirce . He was sure that all the brethren must have been deeply impressed with the delivery of the ceremony , and ,

for himself , said he felt deeply grateful to Bro . Sugg for the impressiveness and fluency which had characterised his performance . Bro . J . W . Sugg replied in verse , in which he assumed the character of " S . iirey Gamp , " and took an obstetric view of the ceiemony he had performed , to the great amusement e . f the brethren , who cheered him heartily when he resumed his seat . Tne W . M . then

proposed " The Chanties , " coupling the toast with the name of Bro . W . Winn , who had dune so much for the Masonic and all charitable Institutions . Bro . Wm . Winn replied . He hid hoped as a new member it would not have been his painful duty to remind the W . M . n t to inflict upon him the necessity of returning thanks for the Charities , when it was not only the duty but the

privilege of other members to do so . He was afraid the Charities woul ! suffer by the response being placed in his hands ; but still the brethren must not think he was ungrateful for what had been done for the Charities . It was some ninety or more years since the first of those Charities was started , and the eminence they had attained was most encouraging to the contributors to

them . They were very successful . Miny of the girls educated in the Girls' School had attained to excellent positions in society . Some of them were driving in their carriage ? , having been married to merchants , and had become patrons of the Institution . Many of them were now Life Governors , and were grateful for the benefits they had received in the Institution . The Bjys' School was also

satisfactory , and Lord Henniker , who presided at the distribution of prizes on the 18 th inst ., was so pleased with the progress which had been made under Dr . Morris that he volunteered to give a £$ prizj annually for the encouragement of the boys . The children educated at these schools were the children of Masons like ourselves , but who from some unforeseen circumstances had been reduced

in life . The education given was a good sound education , to fit the children for any position in life , and deserved every encouragement and support . As long as God blessed us with means we should support those Institutions , and give to them out of the superfluities the Almighty had bestowed upon us . Something might happen to alter our circumstances in life , and then we

might be grateful to those who would bestow their bounty upon ourselves . Bro . James Glaisher , responded to the toast of " The Treasurer and Secretary , " and Bro . Wm , Sugg to that of " The Officers . " The Tyler ' s toast was then given , and the brethren separated . A musical entertainment was given in the course of the evening by Bros . Wharton , Moss , Charles Ohren , and Coventry , and Miss Belville and Miss Coventry .

SALISBURY . — Elias de Durham Lodge ( No . 586 ) . —An emergency meeting of this lodge Was held on Tuesday , the 17 th inst ., at 8 o ' clock . Present : Bros . A . Tucker . W . M ., in the chair ; H . C . Card , S . W . ; T . S . Futcher , P . M ., as J . W . ; J . Rumbold , Sec . ; Thos . Norwood , I . P . M . ; J . Folliott , as S . D . ; E . E . Bartlett , J . D . ; Buttifant , l . G . ; Silverthorn , Tyler . Members : Bros . J . H .

Dear , R . Dear , T . Harwood , and others . The lodge having been opened in ancient and solemn form , and the minutes of the last regular lodge read and confirmed , the ballot was successfully taken for Bro . Slader as a joining member . The S . W ., Bro . Card , then delivered the Entered Apprentice Charge to Brrs Larkam and Main , who were afterwards examined as to the progress they had

made in Masonry , which proving satisfactory , they were entrusted and dismissed for preparation . The lodge was then opened in the Second Degree , and Bros . Larkam and Main were re-admitted , and duly passsd to the Fellow Craft Degree by the W . M . The charge of this degree was given by the S . W ., and the lecture on the Tracing Board

by the W . M . The lodge was closed in the Second Degree . The name of acandidate for initiation having been proposed and seconded , the lodge was closed in ancient and solemn form , and adjourned . WOOLWICH . —Nelson Lodge ( No . 700 ) . — The usual monthly meeting of the above lodge took place en Wednesday , the 18 th inst ., at the Masonic Hall ,