Celebration Of The 50th Anniversary Of The Hertford Lodge.

had existed so long , and that the members had a brother who had been one of their number daring the whole of that period , and whom they wero now pleased to have to preside over them . The Chairman had alluded in an earlier part of tbe proceedings to the influence of the Lodge in softening and _ subduing tho asperities that existed in the community at tho time of its

foundation ; and therefore should they at any time meet with people —and there wero such individuals—who said that the principal object of Masonry was eating and drinking , he hoped they would point to their Worshipful Master , for it stood to reason that if a man could live in this dreadful system of eating and drinking for fifty years , and who from his hale appearance gave promise of living in it for

many more years to come , there could not be that objectionable character of excess in Freemasonry . The present year marked a great era in tho province , this Lodge being not alone in celebrating its jubilee , for on the 28 th November the Watford Lodge —of which he had the honour of being a Past Master—would be engaged in tho same agreeable proceedings . It would not fall to their lot ,

howeverfor it fell to the lot of very few Lodges—to celebrate the fiftieth year of its existence and the fiftieth year of the membership of a brother —and that brother the Worshipful Master—at ono and the same time , but on behalf of tho Watford brothers he would say , that if any of those present were there on the evening they celebrated their jubilee they would receive a most cordial welcome . The W . M ., on rising to

respond to the toast , was received with a long-continned burst of applause . On silence being at length restored , he said that he felt he must rise at once to thank them for their most kind and hearty congratulations . Ho felt very grateful to the Great Architect of the Universe , that notwithstanding his age he was in tho full enjoyment of all his senses . Ho was twenty-five years of age when he was

initiated in the Hertford Lodge , and having completed his fiftieth year as a member , he was now seventy-five , ancl he therefore could not be sufficiently thankful for the health and strength which he enjoyed . Ho feared that bo could not make them adequately understand all he wished to convoy , and that ho was unable to express himself with sufficient clearness ; but he asked them to put themselves in his

position , and after listening to all tho flattering remarks that bad been made—not made , be it remembered , in any spirit of mockery or without meaning , but as the sincere expression of earnest friendship—they would understand his feelings . At the same time , it appeared to him that they must havo discovered that he possessed some qualities that woro unknown to himself , but this mado him appreciate their

kindness tho more highly . He felt that he must trouble them a little longer , as he had something more to say . He was not only an old member of the Hertford Lodgo , but he was also an old inhabitant of tho town , being of the third generation of Stephen Austins who had resided in it . His grandfather , who was a schoolmaster and printer , came from Yorkshire and settled here , in 1768 ; his father was born in

Hertford , and bore the name of Stephen , as ho also did ; and he had a son in the room now who bore tho same family name , who ho hoped would hand it clown to another generation . Something had been said about another jubilee of the Lodge fifty years hence , and although many of them then present could not expect to witness such an interesting event , there were others who might naturally hopo to take

part in it , and as he felt a little pride , in his own name having been so long ancl agreeably associated with the Lodge , he hoped that at the termination of another fifty years of its existence some of his descendants would be found connected with it , and would then receive similar expressions of good will from its members as now he did . He had just to add that none of the members of the Lodge who assisted

at its foundation were living , bnt one or two of the initiates of 1829 were still alive , and he desired at this time to mention their names . These were Charles Smith , of Enfield , ancl his friend from boyhood , Young Crawley ; and then of a little later date there were . Valentine Carter , of Bantingford , George Farr , WiUiam Robert Baker , of Bayfordbnry , tho Right Hon . William Cowper-Temple , Dr .

Woodhonso—whom he would have liked to have seen present—and Henry Kember . He had only in conclusion to thank them , and that most warmly , for the kind feelings tbey had expressed towards himself . Bro . Cocks ( Treasurer ) proposed the health of the " Visitors , " remark - ing that it was particularly pleasing to seo so many members of other Lodges present ; on behalf of the Hertford Lodge ho had to thank them

for their attendance . Brother Nash W . M . 409 briefly replied , and in the course of his remarks referred to the geographical position of the county rendering it impossible for the members of the Craft to seo each other so frequently , and to know each other so intimately , as they could wish . Ho was glad , however , to know that thore was a solidarity about tho Lodges which was tho best

proof of their prosperity . The Eev . L . Deeds S . W . proposed "Tho Masonic Institutions , " a toast which , he said , was most dear to his own heart . The institutions connected with Masonry were the principal attraction that induced him to join tho Hertford Lod ge , an act which he had never for a moment' regretted , and he most seriousl y hoped that all earnest men , whatever their position in life or the form

of their religion might be , would unite in extending the benefits which they were calculated to confer npon all , no matter what the position iu life might be in which it might have pleased tho Almighty to place them . The Institutions wore of undoubted excellence , of tried capability , and were bringing forth fruit which would redound to the credit of all concerned in founding and conducting them . He included

the Girls' School , the Boys' School , and the Benevolent Institution in his remarks . They did not call theso institutions " charities , " for he trusted that Masons were far above feeling that in dispensing the funds raised for them , and in alleviating distress which mi ght come upon their members from unforeseen circumstances , they were conferring charity in any sense of the word . Because , however , the

good done by the Institutions he had named was not so well known as they might wish , an argument was used by many people against Masonry , that the members of tho Craft met only for their own gratification . This he totally denied , ancl could speak iu this respect for the Hertford Lodge since he had had the honour to belon g to it ; so far from wasting their time in social indulgence , and spendin "

Celebration Of The 50th Anniversary Of The Hertford Lodge.

their funds in that way , they had given np ono yearly festival , but it would be very hard and unnatural if on one evening of the year they were not to meet to do honour to tho Craft , and to meet those who reflected such credit upon it . He had spoken for tho Hertford Lodge , he did not believe that Masons , as a body , were given to that indulgence which was sometimes said to characterise them ; their principal

aim , rather , was to do good to their fellow men , and to promote a feeling of cordiality and love amongst all classes of their fellow citizens . Brother Winn now sang 'mbhn Brown , " which was loudly encored , and he then gave " Come Lasses and Lads . " Bro . Terry returned thanks for tho manner in which the last toast had been received , and assured the company that he esteemed ib a great compliment to bo

allowed to respond to it . Allusion had been made to the fact that theso institutions were not " charities , " and he might justly say , on behalf of their committees , that everything was done that conld bo accomplished to take away from thoir benefits all idea of charity . The Committees knew full well what had been done by the Hertford Lodge in the way of rendering them assistance by thoir contributions .

Ho found , by referring to thoir books , that since its foundation the members had contributed £ 700 in this way , ancl although this sum might not appear large when spread over a period of fifty years , yet when it was remembered that it was only during tho last nine or ten years that the claims of the various institutions wero brought pro . minently before them , the amount contributed was very considerable ,

and on their behalf ho had to thank the members of the Hertford Lodge for what they had done . Bro . Carter would represent the Lodge as Steward during the coming year j and ho ventured to think that as Bro . Crow , to whom allusion had more than once been made , was at ono time Secretary of the Girls' School , there was a debt of gratitude duo to that institution on his account which might be paid

through Bro . Carter in May 1880 . Reference was then made to tho Girls' School and the Benevolent Institution , and in course of au eloquent appeal for additional subscriptions to tho three Institutions Bro . Terry mentioned , that if an average contribution of £ 60 a year conld be got from each Lodge , no candidate for admission need ever be turned away for want of funds . A solo was played on the

pianoforte by Brother Heywood , which was loudly applauded . The W . M . proposed tho health of tho Officers , thanking them very heartily for their attention . during the year now closing . In connection with the toast he also wished to couple the name of Bro . Warrener , tho newly-elected W . M . The Hon . Baron Dimsdale J . W . in replying said , he was only speaking the sentiments of his brother officers when

ho returned his most hearty thanks for the way iu which the toast had been received . He must say that in all tho arguments against Masonry he had heard there was nothing substantial , bnt they were indebted to the Senior Warden for the able manner in which ho had shown how their Institutions had removed the stigma—if it was a stigma—from them as Masons , that their time was spent principally

in eating and drinking . He was indebted to the Chairman , however , for another illustration of the usefulness of their Lodge , for , alluding to a period of fifty years ago , ho had told them that such a feeling of animosity then existed in tho town , politically and religiously , that the people were at " daggers drawn . " The great corrective of this objectionable state of things , however , was the foundation of a

Jlasomc Lodge , and therefore those who had seen ancl rejoiced at the entire decay of that feeling , were indebted to those men who founded it aud kept it soing , nnd to none were they more indebted than to the brother who now presided over them . It must also be satisfactory to those present that the first Masonic Lodge in the county was founded on the eastern side of it , and that an example

was thus set to their friends on the other side , which , however , they were not long in following . He wished to say on behalf of the officers of tho Hertford Lodge that they wero anxious to promote the interests of Masonry to its utmost extent , remembering at the same time that it was their duty to do all iu their power to promote that charitable and kindly feeling towards all men which was tho best

and surest foundation for the prosperity of States . Bro . Dr . Warrener also returned thanks , and expressed the great pleasure he experienced at being present at the celebration of tho jubilee of the Lodge . He was very much pleased to see Bro . Austin in the chair , and he sincerely hoped that he would long continue to be amongst

them . When , as years rolled on , however , and the tunc came for him to bid farewell to tho Lodge below , might he indeed become a joining member of the Grand Lodgo above , there to live and reign for ever . Tho " Tyler ' s Toast " was then given , and tho company shortly afterwards separated .

The members of the committee appointed by the Lodge to carry out tho jubilee arrangements aro to be congratulated upon tho success that attended their labours . To Bro . E . T . Andrews , the Secretary , great praise is due for the excellent manner in which he performed his onerous duties , and conducted the mass of correspondence which the Festival involved . —Hertfordshire Mercury .

Committee Meeting Of The Girls' School.

COMMITTEE MEETING OF THE GIRLS ' SCHOOL .

rpHE monthly meeting of tho General Committee of tho Royal -L Masonic Institution for Girls was held on Thursday afternoon in tho Board room , Freemasons Hall . There wero present Bros . Col . Creaton Grand Treasurer in the chair , H . Dicketts , H . Massey . Fredk . Adlard , James Peters , Arthur E . Gladwell , A . U . Tattershall , Henry Venn , James F . Corbcn , E . Letchworth , IT . Potter . H . A .

Dnbois , W . 1 . C . Moutrie , E . Spooner and F . li . W . Hedges Seorotnry . On the recommendation of the Honso Committee fifteen guineas was voted to apprentice an ex-pupil , ancl the s < Iary of tho Chief Clerk in the Secretary ' s office wns raised from £ 100 to £ 120 a-year . Two

children were placed on the list of candidates for the April Election . Bro . Dick Ratclyffo's letter , stating tho principles of his Masonic Pupils' Assistance Fund was ordered to lay on tho table , ou tho motion of Bro . H . A . Dnbois . The Committee then adj-mrncd .