Church Stone Laying.

have been in fche least degree instrumental in securing at Bournemouth the services in the cause of church work of two such able men as the Dean of Windsor and Canon Eliot . — " Bournemouth Guardian . "

Bro. Beach's Masonic Jubilee.

BRO . BEACH'S MASONIC JUBILEE .

THE meeting of the Lodge of Economy , No . 76 , to which we referred in our issue of 30 th ulfc ., was indeed a most happy Masonic function . The Lodge has flourished in the city for nearly 150 years , and has had for the past half century tbe advantageous pleasure of the membership of Bro . W . W . B .

Beach , M . P ., the present Prov . G . M . of the great Province of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight . The function on Thursday , 28 fch ult ., at an emergency meeting , was the celebratiou of Bro . Beach ' s connection with the Lodge , and the presentation to him of an appropriate and enduring souvenir of fche jubilee of a most influential and beloved Brother .

The W . M . of the Lodge Bro . C . Shenton invited representatives from various other Lodges in the Province , and over thirty Visiting Brothers attended , and there was also a full attendance of the Economy members , one of the oldest of whom , Bro . James Harris , was , however , regretfully unable to be present .

The Lodge was opened at six o ' clock , when the Prov . G . M ., accompanied by the D . P . G . M . Bro . Goble , and the Prov . G . T , Bro . Gieve , entered the Lodge Room , with a procession of Prov . G . Officers present and past . The W . M . expressed bis pleasure at the large attendance , and heartily welcomed the Prov . G . M . and the Brethren by whom he was accompanied .

Bro . T . Stopher , the member of the Ledge next senior to Bro . Beach , made the presentation to the Prov . G . M . in a most felicitous manner , giving a sketch of the history of the old Lodge ; its vicissitudes ; its varied localities , including inns ; its somewhat , in the distant past , gastronomic extravagancies ; and its financial trials ; its reform in the matter of gastronomy at tbe

expense of the Lodge funds ; and , under better management , of its substantial condition and its achievement in the establishment of a Masonic Hall , started on the modest capital of £ 35 , and subsequently a grown and growing concern , for now the Lodge had in its possession the Hall they were then assembled in . They had , too , a Benevolent Fund of nearly £ 400 , and ifc was a proof

of the soundness of the Lodge and of its excellent administration that there had been only three applications for relief from this fund since its foundation . They celebrated the Lodge Centenary in 1861 and had now , instead of the twenty or thirty members of years ago , their recognised proportion of seventy-six , which was their limit of admission . Their good friend , Bro . Beach , had

assisted them always wifch his advice , experience , and attention , and also in the foundation of that Hall financially , and was highly esteemed by all the Brethren , not only in that Lodge , but throughout the Province . The Brethren of the Lodge , in order to commemorate the Jubilee of Bro . Beach's membership , had provided a set of working tools , which would , no doubt , he used at many Masonic functions by Bro . Beach . This form of present

was prompted in order to obviate the use of toy tools , such as were used at the Southampton Docks the other day . The tools now before them were substantial and handsome implements , and in the name of the Lodge he begged the Provincial Grand Master to accept them in commemoration of his Jubilee , with the expression of their hope that he might be spared many years , to work amongst them , and for the good of Freemasonry in general .

The case of oak containing the tools , made out of polished ebony , wifch gilt gun metal attachments , and enclosed in blue and quilted silk ( provided by Bro . Matthews ) , was then placed before the Prov . G . M . A brass plate on the lid bears a suitable inscription . With the case was also presented the following address : —

To the Bight Worshipful Bro . William Wither Bramston Beach , M . P ., Provincial Grand Master of the Province of Hants and the Isle of Wight , Grand Z . of the Provincial Grand Chapter of Boyal Aroh Masons . We , the Worshipful Master , Past Masters , Officers , and Brethren of the Lodge of Economy , being No . 76 on the Begister of the Grand Lodge of England , beg fco offer you our most hearty congratulations on your having

completed in August last the fiftieth year of your membership of our Lodge . For many years you contributed in no small degree to the success of our Lodge by acting as Installing Master , and it is to your teaching we owe our present efficiency in the working of that beautiful ceremony . In the founding of the Masonic Hall Company your help was of material value to us , and we recognise that that help and support has enabled us to become the actual

owners of the Hall in which we meet . As Masons we cannot forget the great strides the Craft has made in the Province under your beneficent sway . During the thirty years you have ruled over us the number of the Lodges have more than doubled , and the influence of the Proviuce in Grand Lodge , in the great Charities of the Order , and in the Masonio world generally , has increased to a very remarkable extent .

As a small memento of so unique an event as your completing fifty years membership of the old Lodge of Economy , we beg your acceptance of this case of working tools , designed to bo of practical use iu the laying of foundation stones with Masonic ceremonies . That you may be spared many years to preside over the Brethren of the

Bro. Beach's Masonic Jubilee.

Province , and to continue an honoured member of our old Lodge , is the earnest wish of all the Brethren . Given in open Lodge the twenty-seventh day of September 1899 . Chaloner Shenton W . M . Walter Naish S . W . Gharles Bunch J . W .

William Henry Jacob P . M . Treas . William Gamon P . M . Secretary . H . Searle P . M . Chaplain . Fred J . Harris S . D . H . E . Johnson J . D . Percy W . Snelling I . G . E . W . Ward P . M . D . C .

The Provincial Grand Master , who was evidently highly gratified at the warm welcome and handsome souvenir , thanked the Lodge , and then recalled to mind some of those Jwho had passed away , notably Bros . Naish and Cowen , and the many others he knew . Some were dead now , and others left the Province . In alluding to his work , many years back , in securing

the recognition of fche Grand Lodge of Canada , the P . G . M . said he recently heard his labours spoken of by a Grand Officer from the Dominion , who did not know him , and he said his speeches at this distance of time would ensure Bro . Beach a welcome always . " Time rolls its ceaseless course , " and many changes had occurred . He was initiated into Masonry in the Apollo Lodge , Oxford , and

the Economy Lodge was his Provincial Mother Lodge . He had attended at the White Hart and the Black Swan at the small Lodge meetings , but since those days the Lodge had grown greatly , and even the establishment of a second one in the city had not been injurious to it , but otherwise . Masonry in the Province , too , had made immense strides . Having reviewed the increase in the number of Lodges , he said he had always been

most heartily welcomed by his Brethren , and had made many warm friendships . He hoped Freemasonry would always flourish . He thanked them heartily for their gift , and their kindness that night . So long as health lasted he should be glad to promote Masonry in every way as far as he was able to do so . He hoped long to retain the loving kindness and affection of the members . Bro . Beach sat down amid warm tokens of regard .

There was a banquet at the City Guildhall after the Lodge meeting , to which over fifty Brethren sat down . Bro . Clowser capitally catered . In the course of the proceedings the excellent work of Bro . Stopher in initiating his son and his nephew at the regular Lodge meeting on Wednesday was alluded to . The W . M . had a hearty " toasting . "—" Hampshire Independent . "

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