SOCIETIES' RECORD.

Saturday Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 124, 24 November 1877, Page 15

SOCIETIES' RECORD.

“ Friendship, Love, and Truth.” “ Unity, Benevolence, and Concord. “ Faith, Hope, and Charity.” THE MASONS’ LODGE. By Goethe. The Masons’ ways are A type of existence, And his persistence Is as the days are Of men in this world. The future hides in it Gladness and sorrow, We press still thorow, Nought that abides in it Daunting us—onward. And solemn before us, Veiled, the dark portal, Goal of all mortal; Stars silent rest o’er us, Graves under us silent. While earnest thou gazest, Comes boding of terror, Comes phantasm and error, Perplexes the bravest With doubt and misgiving. But heard are the voices— Heard are the sages, The worlds and the ages. “ Choose well, your choice is Brief, and yet endless. Here eyes do regard you In eternity’s stillness ; Here is all fullness,

Ye brave, to reward you; Work, and despair not.”

I. 0. 0. F. The Grand Lodge has just finished its annual session, which in many points has been one of the most successful ever held by this body in this city. Several salutary reforms have been inaugurated, one of the principal being that a graduated scale of weekly contributions (Table C.) to the Sick and Funeral Funds will come in force on' January Ist next, founded on, the most reliable; tables of sickness aqd mortality.- -It remains for the Lodges to. divide and disburse the funds according to the printed instructions, and there will then be no fear but what all Lodges will be equal to their liabilities in the future. A letter has been received, stating that either the G. Sire or D.G. Sire of the G.L.W.S. will pay us a fraternal visit shortly.

The following brothers were installed into the elective offices: —Jas. M‘Gaw, G.M. ; R. T. Wheeler, D.G.M. ; James Alexander, G.T. •. William Reid, G.W. ; J. P. Wilson, G. Sec. The retiring G.M., Bro. Braithwaite, addressed the new officers and members of the G.L;, pointing out their several duties, and exhorted tliem to use every effort to promote the welfare of the Order, to which the officers appropriately, responded. It was decided to present a testimonial to P.G.M. Bro. Braithwaite ; and it was also further affirmed to present the retiring G. Sec, Bro. John Boyd» with a collar and. jewel, suitably in- - scribed. This Order now numbers 500,000 financial members, With large; increasing revenues, and has branches throughout America, Great Britain, the Continent of Europe, and the Colonies. The whole of the 6,000 Lodges meet in halls of their own, and other places outside of hoteT influences, excepting about 10 Lodges in the colonies, who still meet in hotels—which is entirely opposed to the principles of the Order.