Centenary Celebration Of The Amity Lodge, No. 283.

M . W . Pro G . M ., Earl Mount Edgcumbe R . W . D . G . M ., and the rest of the Grand Officers Present and Past , proposed by Bro . Bnry and acknowledged by the brethren ; Col . Le Gendre N . Starkie Prov . G . M ., proposed by Bro . Soatherst ; George Mellor Esq . D . Prov . G . M ., and the rest of the Prov . Grand Officers Present and Past , proposed by Bro . Worsh , and acknowledged by the brethren . Bro . Stallon also responded . Ho said he hoped it mis-ht please their W . G . M . to add

more brethren there that night to his Prov . Grand Officers . Bro . Bradshaw proposed the Visiting Brethren . Bro . Hunt ( Rawtenstall ) responded . He said it was the first Centenary meeting that he had ever had tho privilege of boing at , bat he hoped it wonld not be the last . He was sure they wore obliged for the kind way in whioh the toast of the Visitors had been received , and they wonld be happy in another hundred years from then to pay them a second

runt . Bro . Stallon proposed the Prosperity of the W . M ., his Officers , and the Brethren of the Lodge . He said it would be surplusage on his part to say anything of the W . M . and the worthy Officers ; they were all well known , and he was sure their action must commend itself to them generally . Most of the visitors wbo were there were ,

in some degree or other , acquainted with the members and Officers and the W . M . of the Amity Lodge . Their W . M . Bro . Freeman had , ever since his initiation into Masonry , evinced the strongest regard for , and interest in , all those tenets whioh wero so dear to them , and he was quite sore that the Lodge had been raised to its present pinnacle of greatness , mainly through the energy whioh he and his

other brethren had shown . He was sure he was bnt reiterating the wish of all Masons present , in expressing the hope that the W . M . and Officers might have a prosperous year before them , and that those who followed them might imitate their example . Bro . Spencer responded . He said the Lodge was beginning another hundred years , and he hoped that many of them might be spared to meet

again at another Centenary celebration . Bro . Duxfield , of Southport , proposed Success to the Centenary . He said he thanked them for the honour of being present on the occasion of that interesting ceremony , interesting not only by reason of the special circumstances of the occasion , but also on account of the presence of the ladies ; that was an innovation so pleasing , so

sensible , and so charming , that be should think it must commend itself to all present , and he was sure that one of the duties that a visiting Mason had , was to carry away notions of that kind and try to imitate them . There were occosions when they lingered awhile , and looked back on the past with all its ups and downs , and then to the unknown future whioh T . G . A . O . T . U . most kindly hid from their

view . They might enumerate occasions when a man and his wife , having journeyed together in companionship through life , invited their friends to celebrate their silver or thoir golden wedding , and those wore occasions of legitimate congratulation . No less interesting than the occasions of those birthdays , | or silver or golden weddings , was the commemoration of that Centenary , and he

considered ic a great honour to meet them as a visitor , and to proposo that toast of congratulation to their ancient Lodge . It had bad its vicissitudes , its lights and shadows , its ups and downs . He saw as he came into another part of the room the portraits of the worth y Masons who had preceded tbe W . M . in his office . It was owing to the efforts of those brethren that the Lodge had succeeded in the

past , and he was sure that whatever they found worthy of imitation , that they would carry on the work of their Lodge to tho ond of time . The principles of Masonry were worthy of all their regard , lovo and loyalty , and therefore he had great pleasure in proposing the congratulations of the brethren of the Amity Lodge , on the occasion of its Centenary . The toast was heartily drunk . Bro . Sutcliffe

Secretary responded as follows : — "W . M ., Officers and Brothron : I suppose you will consider I ought to give you somo sort of an outline of the existence of this Lodge of ours . I will do it in as few words as I possibly can . The brethren of whom wo are this day the representatives , got a grant in June 1791 , from the Grand Master H . R . H . tho Duke of Sussex , Grand Master of the Order in London ,

for the Provincial Grand Master of Lancashire to issue a warrant for our Lodge , to be held at the Swan Inn , Rochdale . This warrant was issued on the 14 th June 1791 , by tho Deputy Provincial Grand Master John Allen . It may be interesting to tho brethren to know that there were two Grand Lodges in England at that time—one under the Duke of Athol , called tho York or Ancient

Masons ; the other nnder the Duko of Sussex , from whom we hail , called by the York Masons , Modern Masons . As to tho title Modern or Ancient , I am not able to give you positive information , but I am glad to say the two Grand Lodges wero reunited in December 1813 , under the Dnke of Sussex , as tho United Grand Lodge of England . Onr Amity Lodge , in my opinion , was formed and hold by

Scotchmen , who were so plentiful in Rochdale and this district , as their title was R . W . M . until the removal of tho Lodgo to tho New Inn , Ilaslingden , on Thursday , 13 th June 1810 , sinco which time the title has been as at present . Tho Lodgo met at the Now Inn , Haslingden , until February 1819 , when it waa removed to a private room . Thero is nothing in tho minntes to say where this private room was , but

tradition says it was held in tho top room of tho house now occupiod by Miss Fielding , called Ivy House , High-streot , and was removed from thence to tho Bull's Head Hotel , Church-street , where I may say now we met until February 1873 , onr first meeting in the Swan Hotel , Haalingdon , being 13 th March 1873 , where , as you all know , we wero so hospitably entertained by our lato Bro . Thompson Yates .

It was resolved we shonld remove to tho Gruy Maro Hotel , Regent streot , whero wo at present are so comfortably settled , under Mrs Yates , oar lato brother's widow . Tho toast of tho Ladiea was next drunk , on tho pioposal of Bro Taylor , and was responded to by Bro . Hindle , of SouMiport .

Bro . Sutcliffe proponed tho Masonio Chirities . Ho said that at tho third meeting tho L-jd ge held—th . it v . * us in 1707—one of tho brethren proposed that wo ruuafc really do something towards Masonic Charitierj . Thoy had never been a larga Lodge—never more than thirty . six members , and sometimes they had got down to

Centenary Celebration Of The Amity Lodge, No. 283.

eighteen , but they always called themselves a Lodge of thirty , and ho thought when their record was looked over that it would be found they had dono pretty well towards all Charities , both the old men , the old women , the boys and the girls , and that they stood as well as any Lodge in their Province . That was what they might call " swaggering , " but what he wanted them to do was to help the Lodge

to which they individually belonged with something , no matter how little it might be . Every time they had anything to spare , he asked thorn to givo it to the Masonio Charities , for they were worked throughout England for less money than any other Charities , and when they found that most cf the money went to the people who ought to have it , the Charities were worthy of their support . The

toast was heartily drunk . Bro . Howarth , the oldest Mason in Haslingden , proposed the Hostess . He said he had frequently had occasion , years ago , to do the same thing , and he might say , as he had repeatedly laid , that they were very glad to go there , and at all times to partake of the bountiful repast which Mrs . Yates set before them . He thought

that day she had almost exceeded herself in placing what sho had done on the tables , and all he could say beyond that was that ho hoped she might have the pleasure for years to come of repeating it . The health of the hostess . The toast was heartily drunk , and responded to by Mr . Hamer , Mrs . Yates ' s son-in-law . He said on her behalf it gave him much pleasure to rise and tender to them her

thanks for having so cordially drunk her health . It came about very agreeably in asking Bro . Howarth to propose that toast , inasmuch aa he was the oldest Mason in Haslingden , because he believed Mrs . Yates was the oldest hostess ; and he was sure that , so far as she was concerned , if she had satisfied them , whicb , he waa Bare it had been her desire to do , she would be truly thankful ; and on her

behalf he begged to tender them her sincere thanks . Bro . Nuttall gave as the last tho Tyler ' s toast , whioh was that he wished all poor and distressed Masons , whether on land or at sea , speedy relief , and a safe return home if tbey desired it . This being acknowledged , brought the proceedings at the banquet to a close . The social part of the evening , including dancing and singing , then

commenced ; and subsequently , during a short interval , presentations were made , of gold jewels in cases , to Bro . Joseph Sutcliffe Secretary , and Bro . W . H . Shaw Treasurer , the latter in his absence . The inscription on the former was— " Presented to Bro . Joseph Sutcliffe P . M . P . G . Superintendent of Works , for 21 years Secretary ; " and on the other— " Presented to Bro . W . H . Shaw P . M ., for 21 years Treasurer . Dancing was kept np to a late hour .

The pupils of tho R . M . I , for Girls paid their Aimual Visit to the Crystal Palace on Wednesday , where thoy spent their timo most pleasantly . Bro . Frank Richardson , aa Chairman for the month , had the pupils in charge .

Tho friends and supporters of tho Royal Masoni Institution for Girls will bo gratified to learn that H . R . lithe Duko of Connaught , K . G ., Prov . G . Master for Sussex has consented to tako tho Chair at the next Annual Festival . The executive Officers of tho School must indeed be congratulated on this arrangement .

Tunbridgo Wells , hcing just on tho border lino , is placed peculiarly in respect to Sussex and Kent . It may be news to many that even tho Holmesdale Lodgo of

Freemasons , a Kentish Lodgo , at Tunbridgo Wells , waa founded in the county of Sussex , tho Assembly Rooms on the Pantiles being the home of its creation thirty years ago .

The members of tho Duko of Connaught Lodge had a meeting and dinner at Anderton ' s Hotel , Fleet Street , ou Thursday evening . A feature of the musical entertainment was Chanson ' s polonaise , played by Master

E . Carwardiue ( violin ) and Miss Maud Carwardino ( piano ) . As an encore Miss Carwardino gavo a Sleeping Song , with violin obligato by Master B . Carwardino . Amongst the visitors at the festivity was Bvo . B . Moakhi , of Lodge Al Moghril Al Aksa , Morocco .

The date of tho meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Suffolk Freemasons , which was provisionally fixed for tlio 31 st July , has beeu altered to Friday , 7 tli August . ^ The gathot-ing ia at Thornham Hall , tho scat of the Provincial Grand Master ( Lord Henniker ) .

After providing for tho amortization of loasea , doprocialioo of plant , Dinl : in « frm *• : or the redemption of Debentures , and tho payment of Income Tus a-id Debenture Interest , tho report of Spier . ** aud Pond Limited rocoaimonds ihu payment of a dividend of 10 per

cont . fien ^ of Inccmiu Tax , i .-r the year ending tho Slat Murch 1891 , 1 . - ;• . ' . : n ; , - £ 5002 9 . 3 oO . to bo carried forward to nest year . The wavrnuiB will ba post . d after tho shareholders' meeting , to bo held on the 13 th July . Tho share transfer books aro closed from ths 30 th June * to the 13 th July , Loth iucluaive .