The Masonic Mirror.

THE MASONIC MIRROR .

S 5 > MASOJSTC MEMS . The Prov . Crenel Lodge of Warwickshire is appointed to be held on the 27 th inst ., in Birmingham—in conneccion with the Faithful Lodge ( Ho . GOS)—when the jeivels voted by the Prov . Grand Lodge

to Bro . Chas . W . Elkington , ' 0 . Prov . G . M ., ivill bo presented by the R . W . Prov . G-. M . The brethren are to attend divine service iu Sfc . Philip ' s Church . The annual festival of the Emulation Lodge of Improvem enfc is appointed to take p lace on the 29 th inst ., Avhen our R . W . Bro .

Viscount Kolmesdale , II . I ' ., Prov . G .-. I .. for Kent , has consented to preside . The Rev . G . J . Gill the master , and Mrs . Gill the matron of the Boys' School having resigned their appointments , the Committee have elected Mr . Fred . Russell , B . A . of Cambridge , second master of the Grammar School at Brentford , and Mrs , Russell , to succeed them .

Metropolitan.

METROPOLITAN .

KErTr / XE LODGE ( SO . 22 ) . —The regular meeting of tlris longestablished lodge , held on Thursday , October 31 st , at Hadley's Hotel , ivas Avell attended . Bro . Alfred Pratt , the AV . M ., and , his Officers being in attendance , theloclge n-as opened , and Bros . J . H . Lilley , C . Gould , and P . HOAV AA-ere raised to the third degree . Bro . J . Dyer Avas then passed to tlie degree of P . C ., and Messers . Joseph HoAvard and George Preelrick Masfccrman initiated .

A petition from a former member of the lodge for assistance AVUS responded to by a grant from the funds , and a subscription to the Boy ' s School Avas also voted . The W . M . then stated that during the recess he had deA-oted his leisure to a research into the history of the lodge ; the records were , he regretted , but meagre , as the result of his Investigation Avould shoiv . The Avarrant ivas issued in July . 1759 , but by the records it appeared that the lodge ivas in existence in 1753 , six years before the date of the Avarrant . The

Neptune Loelge , like every other institution , had passeel through i many trials and difficulties , and the institution of Masonry itself afc : the time mentioned , and indeed long after , was subjected to much ' difficulty by the schism that prei-ailed between the two bodies i termed the Ancient and Modern Masons . At its earlier period the I members of the lodge appeared to have been Avorking men or : mechanics . In 1757 the fee for initiation ivas 25 s ., Avhich , a feAv years affcerAvards , Avas raised to 32 * . Gd , The bye-laws of this period

enacted that no one Avho ivas not in respectable circumstances and able toeaiivaAihoiiest livelihood AA-ttsaihiiissrshle . To shoiv that coercion AA as necessary , there Avere fines for offences against good behaviour , that no member should come disguised in liquor ; SAvearing ivas punishable by fine , and one member AA'ho had been fined and refused to pay , was ejected , and it is recorded he swore again . TAA-O degrees ivere occasionally given ou the same evening , but there ivas no records of the ivliole three having been conferred on the same night .

It would appear thafc the members Avere not of the ivealthy class , for ifc is recorded as an uncommon event that one member " paid his whole subscrip tion at once , and stood a five shilling boivl of punch . " Charitable donations—although bufc of small amount—ivere mentioned , and on one occasion the entire contents of the charit y box four shillings anil-two pence ivas aivareled to a distressed brother . The lodge appeared fco have been in abeyance for a considerable period , until the year 1849 Avhen the Avarrant AA * as discovered bBro .

, y Muggeridge to be in the possession of a Bro . Cook . Measures were adopted lo resuscitate theloclge , which Avas effected by the co-operation of Ero . Osborne , Townsend , Holdeu , Partridge , Sturch , Wilcox , Clark , and Goodwin . To Bro . Muggeridge , especially , the lodge Avas indebted for his zealous aid and iiistructioninbringingittothehiah position it holds in the Craft . Bro . Pratt , in his review introduced several judicious remarks on the institution and compared the

Metropolitan.

present with the Freemasonry of the past , and enforced the necessity of each and all the Brethren sustaining in his own person the character of the loelge . A vote of thanks to the AA ' . M ., moved by Bro . Farren , P . M ., and seconded by Bro . Wilcox , was carried by acclamation . The AA . M . having ackiioivleclged the compliment , the lodge Avas closeel . The banquet Avhich followed was attended by fortv brethren . In acknowledging the health of the visitors , Bro .

Maslerman , P . M . 11 , said that the satisfaction of that ; evening ivould never he forgotten , as his oivn brother , AVIIO in a feiv days Avould leave his native land for South America , had by the Heptane Lodge received the Light of Masonry , end he had been deeply impressed by the admirable manner of the W . M . The health of the AA ' . M . was proposed by Bro . Fan-en , P . M ., who referred toBro . Pratt ' s admirable and correct maimer of conducting the business , and also on his historic memoir of the lodge . The W . M . in

responding , said he must repeat AA'hat he had said before , that Avhatever merit ho Avas supposed to possess , for ifc he ivas indebted to Bro . Muggeridge . FLOEEXCB JNieHiTrxCALE LODGE ( So . 1008 . )—The usual meeting of this lodge was held at the Masonic Hall , William-street , Woolwich , on Wednesday , the Gth instant . There ivere present Bros . KincaidAV . M . ThompsonS . AV . HassallJ . W ., pro . tern .

, , , , , Colonel Clerk , and Carter , P . M . 's , Laird , Treas ., Bodily , Sec , Farnfield , S . D ., Little , J . D .. and Major Field , I . G . Bros . General Tulloh , Capfc . Harris , Bailey , Taylor ,, Lyons , Matthew Cooke , Chinch , Blanchard , and other members , Avere in attendance . The visitors were Bros . Samuel Hill , P . M . 955 , Page , S . AV . 1002 , Lodge , 13 , and Bentham , 593 . Bro . Carter , jun ., ivas passed , and Mr . Hare initiated . By unanimous vote of tho lodge the day of meeting , Avhich terivas

was found to clash with Grand Lodge and Grand Chap , altered to the first Tuesday in the month . Tiie loelge having been closeel , the brethren adjourned to Bro . De Grey ' s , Freemasons ' Tavern , and partook of refreshment , spending the evening in that pleasant intercourse of friendly feeling AA-hieh is so eminently one of the charms of the AVoolivieh meetings . The Avorking Avas good , the refreshment capital , and the brotherly felloAiship displayed , beyond all praise .

Provincial.

PROVINCIAL .

DEVONSHIRE . DABTJIOTTTII . —Hauley Lodge ( So . 1099 . )—This loelge met last Thursday evening ( still under dispensation ) , under the presidency of Bro . H . Bridges , P . G . S . B ., D . Prov . G . M . Somerset . & c , Avho is the W . M . named in the Avarrant . OAving to the delay in meeting—a tAvelvemonth having elapsed—only a feAv brethren Avere

present ; but a very instructive evening ; AVUS spent . Bro . Henry Winsor was passeel , and Bro . Way raised . The arrangements for Avorking these degrees in the UOAV lodge room , produced an excellent effect , and ivere pronounced highly satisfactory by the experienced AV . M . The little lodge , ivith its connecting arrangements , is quite a tit bit , and will repay any brother the trouble of a visit . It closely adjoins the toivn church , and has been fitted with very great care , in a novel mode , at great cosr .

LEICESTERSHIRE . HrxCKiaiY . —Knig hts of Malta Lodge ( iso . aS ) . —The first meeting of this loelge after the summer recess ivas held at the ToAvn-hall . ori Wednesday , the 30 th . ult ., on which occasion the D . Prov . G . M . ( Bro . Kelly ) paid a visit to the lodge , accompanied by Bros . Pettifer

aud Gibson , P . M . 's of St . John ' s Lodge ( So . 348 ) Leicester , and P . Prov . G . W . ' s , and presided during the proceedings of tho day . 'Tlie lodge having been opened , and the minutes of tho previous meeting- in July , including tiie election of the AV . M ., having been read and confirmed , a F . C . 's lodge Avas opened , and Bro . John Atkins , the W . M ., having been presented to the D . Prov . G . M ., he AA-as in ancient form installed Into the chair of the lodge . Bro . J . S . Cotterell , the senior P . M ., ivas elected Treasurer , and the folloiA'

ing brethren Avere appointed and invested as the officers for the ensuing year : —Bros . Charles AVatson , S . AV . ; Thos . Goudby , J . W . ; Samuel Preston , Sec . ; T . Worthington Clarke , S . D . ; Samuel Davis , J . D . ; J . Marshall Goude , I . G . ; George Clarke , Tyler . Tho business of the lodge being completed , tlie brethren adjourned to the George Hotel , where an excellent bancpiet was provided . After thc cloth Avas removed the usual loyal and Masonic toasts were duly honoured . The thanks of the brethren were Avarmly expressed to the D . Prov . G . M . for his visit , and for his former services in the revival of the Lodge , which is noiv in a prosperous state .