The Lodge Of Asaph, No. 1319.

The Lodge of Asaph , No . 1319 .

ONE of the most striking phases of modern Freemasonry is the establishment of Class Lodges . The vast increase of population in the great cities , notably in the metropolis , has had the effect of attracting to different centres of interest all those whose tastes and habits , not to mention their

avocations , are similar . It is not , therefore , to be wondered at that Masonic lodges should be formed , so to speak , on the lines of a club . The Asaph Lodge was one of the first to establish itself on this footing , and has proved a success from the first . Established in 1870 b y a few musicians whose

names will be familiar to many , viz ., Bros . E . Stanton Jones , Charles Coote , J . M . Chamberlain , James Weaver , and Geoi ; ge Buckland , it has maintained its individuality to the present , and now numbers 150 members , all of whom are of the musical and dramatic professions .

THE HAXC . : KT AT FRKKMASOXS 1 TAVKIIX . (/ J /_ O' » EIU < V » I-I ,-J ' , I r , _ . )

The lodge is held in the afternoon to enable the brethren to fulfil their various professional engagements in the evening , and the lodge is closed not later than six o ' clock . Asaph was the principal musician at the Temple of Jerusalem . Was he not also King David's principal harpist ? What more fitting , therefore , than that his name should be chosen

to designate a lodge of musicians ? The installation meeting took place on the 5 th November , the W . M ., Bro . Charles Blount Powell , presiding . After the lodge had been opened , Bro . F . H . Macklin , P . M ., moved the adoption of the Auditors' report and balancesheet , which he said he looked upon as unique . There was

not a single liability of the lodge , everything having been paid , and there was a balance of £ 65 to hand over . There was also over £ 1 , 350 invested to the credit of the Benevolent Fund . Bro . W . Lestocq , P . M ., in seconding the motion , said there were but four subscriptions of two guineas each

owing , and he attributed this fact in a great measure to the activity and energy of Bro . James Weaver , their Secretary , who had been most assiduous in urging the payment of arrears . The report was unanimously adopted . Bro . C . B . Powell , W . M ., then installed Bro . James William Mathews ,

S . W ., as Master of the lodge on presentation by Bro . W . Lestocq , P . M ., D . C . Bro . Powell was invested as I . P . M . The other officers were : —Bros . Algernon Syms , S . W . ; Louis Honig , J . W . ; C . Wellard , P . M ., Treas . ; James Weaver , P . M ., G . Std . Br ., Sec . ; Akerman May , S . D . ;

Herbert Leonard , J . D . ; W . Lestocq , P . M ., D . C . ; Frank Wheeler , I . G . ; C . E . Tinney , P . M ., Org . ; Carl Keifert , Edward W . Whitmore , and M . H . Bull , Stewards ; and J . Gilbert , Ty ler . After the delivery of the charges by Bro . Powell , Bro .

James Weaver , P . M ., presented the lodge with a bound copy of all the summonses of the lodge for the past ten years , this being the second volume he has given them , thus completing the thirty years' collection of the lodge summonses ; and on the motion of the W . M ., seconded by the S . W ., a vote of thanks was passed for the gift . The lodge was afterwards closed .