Ar00902

SATURDAY , 14 TH DECEMBER 1889 .

Hampshire And I. Of W. Educational And Benevolent Institution.

HAMPSHIRE AND I . OF W . EDUCATIONAL AND BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

ON Tuesday , the 3 rd instant , the Festival of tho Hampshire and Isle of Wight Masonic Educational and Benevolent Institution was held in the Freemasons Hall , Commercial-road , Landport , under the presidency of the Chairman ( the Right Worshipfnl Bro . W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., Provincial Graud Master of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight ) . The D . P . G . M . ( Bro . J . E . Lo Fenvro ) , the Worshipful the

Mayor ( Bro . Sir William King ) , and other well-known members of the Crait were unavoidably absent . Tho Provincial Grand Master was supported by the Provincial Grand Secretary ( Bro . Edgar Goble ) , the Provincial Grand Treasurer ( Bro . John W . Gieve ) , fche Eev . J . N . Palmer ( P . G . Chaplain of England ) , the Provincial Grand Senior

Warden ( Bro . Ma ] or W . Campbell P . M . 257 ) , and the Hon . Secretary of fche Institution ( Bro . G . F . Lancaster ) . The company included Bros . Henry Cawte , S . R . Ellis , E . S . Main , W . A . Hill , T . H . Williams , Thomas W . Haydon , J . G . Mason , W . Miller , R . G . Pither , W . H . Sperring , W . J . Townsend , Henry Edwards , H . Simes , E . Godwin

George W . Peel , Fred . Avery , George Backler , W . F . Westerman , Bernard Harfield , Charles Dobson , Francis Orford , Lieut . T . Cowd , F . H . Woodrow , W . Bates , J . Collings , H . W . Smith-Parsons , J . E . Buck , II . Boughton-Smith , Arthur J . Firth , G . F . Brown , Fredk . P . Ansle , & c . An excellent dinner was served under the direction of Mr . Pearce

the steward of the club , a string band , conducted by Bro . T . F . Wilton , played choice selections . Grace before and after the repast was said by the Rev . J . N . Palmer , after whioh the Provincial Grand Master proposed fche Queen and the Craffc . Loyalty to the Sovereign of their native land was , he said , a duty incumbent npon all Englishmen ,

and discharged with the greatest pleasure , because they cherished love towards her person and a devoted attachment fco fche institution of which she was fche head . Freemasons yielded to no section of the community in loyalty and devotion to Her Majesty . The Provincial Grand Master next proposed H . R . H . the Prince of Walea M . W .

Grand Master , who had presided over them with snch great advantage to their Institution for many years . From the moment that His Royal Highness had acceded to the wish that he should like to bo their head , Freemasonry had grown to an almost unexampled extent , and the interest which he had taken in the work of their Order had

been of the utmost advantage to and reflected the greatest credit upon ifc . Looking forward to the time when he must be the head of this Kingdom , thongh he might not then act as their Grand Master , he was sure that His Royal Highness wonld not relinquish the love which he bore towards Freemasonry . The Provincial Grand Master

submitted the Pro Grand Master ( tho Earl of Carnarvon ) , the Deputy Grand Master ( the Earl of Lathom ) , and the Officers of Grand Lodge present and pasfc . The Rev . J . N . Palmer Prov . Grand Chaplain , in responding , said that as a Province they ought to congratulate themselves that they had a man to rale over them who wa .

looked up to in Grand Lodgo with such thorough respect and esteem as their Grand Master was . Ho had often presided at Grand Lodge , and whenever he was called upon his decisions were marked by calmness and prudence , and were universally accepted . Bro . E . Goble , in proposing the R . W . Bro . W . W . B . Beach , M . P .,

Prov . Grand Master , Chairman , said that iu his capacity as Provincial Grand Secretary ho had great opportunities of seeing the work that was done by their Grand Master . From hia youth up he had beon a Freemason , and over since he had joined the Craft ho had worked hard in the cause . He was initiated in the

Apollo Lolgo at Oxford , and he had manfully worked himself up from au " entered apprentice . " He had done everything thafc ono could for the cause of Freemasonry , and he could look back with a large amonnt of prido to a few years ago when he sat as Chairman at the Festival of one of their London Charities , and when

tho largest sum ever gathered into that fund on such an occasion was received . Whenever there was a call npon him they would always find him to the front , and he was there to-night to put before them tho cause of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Edncationnl and

Benevolent Institution . He hoped thafc when they heard their Honorary Secretary speak thoy would hear of a good sum being gathered for the Institution , which he looked upon as almost absolutely necessary for this Province . The toast was drunk with cheers . The Provincial

Graud Master , in responding , said that ifc had given him very groat pleasure to bo there that evening . It was quite true , as Bro . Goble had said , that from tho timo he was initiated into Freemasonry he had taken a great interest in the welfare of the Craffc , and one of tbe first things ho undertook after he had been made a Mason was the

Stewardship of one of their Mnsonic Charities . lie thought that gave him the first insight into the good tho Craft was doing , becanse he saw the vast bonelits thafc accrued from the cause of education beiug carried out afc ono of their great institutions , and he then tn . do

au inward resolve to do all he could to support an Order conferring such great advantages . Ho did nofc think ho had relaxed bid efforts in the cause , neither did ho think that his ardour was damped iu auy way , and he had done hia duty whether in a low position or tho high ono which ho now lilled for tho bouefit of tho Cruffc , He waa quite

Hampshire And I. Of W. Educational And Benevolent Institution.

sure that ifc was working a great good amongst those children who had no means of supporting themselves , and in a social point of view , becanse ifc brought men together and made them friends in the time of need , uniting them in a bond of brotherly love . Freemasonry did not only a great work in their own social gatherings aud in their

own country , but was a benefit with regard to the relationship of one country with another . He appealed to them to adhero to the ancient rules of the Craft , and nofc to allow innovations to be introduced which would destroy tho essential principles established by their forefathers . Let them adhero to their ancient principles and traditions , and do

thoir best to fulfil them themselves and transmit them to their descendants . He acknowledged the support he had always received as Grand Master of thafc very large and important Province , and said it was a great gratification to him fco come amongst his brethren and receive such a hearty welcome as he had received that evening .

Tho Provincial Grand Master next proposed the Worshipful Brother J . E . LeFeuvro Deputy Provincial Grand Master , and the Officers of Provincial Grand Lodge , present and past . He said thafc he was anre thafc Bro . LeFeuvra would have been there if ho could have managed ifc , but unfortunately he waa in the North of England .

They all knew the interest he took in this Province and also in Grand Lod » e . He was for many years Provincial Grand Secretary , and in that very onerous capacity always did good service , and his ability and geniality commended him to all his brother Masons . The Prouncial Officers , present and past , always rendered him tho most

ample assistance in the promotion of Ma . onry in that Province . He associated with the toast the name of Bro . J . W . Gieve , tbe Provincial Grand Treasurer , who , he said , had served with great credit to himself , and had given the greatest assistance to Grand Lod <» e . His office required considerable tact and ability , and he had

received from Bro . Gieve the greatest assistance . Bro . Gieve , in responding , said the Provincial Officers all felt bound to support the Grand Master in every possible way thafc lay in their power . He felt it an honour to work with so able a Mason , who was looked np fco not only by the brethren of thafc Province but throughout

England , and more especially by those who were connected with the Grand Lodge . Meeting together to celebrate the second anniversary of that institution he congratulated Bro . Lancaster on ifca present position . He ( Bro . Gieve ) had received , with a certain deduction , the legacy of £ 200 of the late Major Hooper , a Past Warden of the

Province , and suggested that it should be invested for the benefit of this institution , and adding that this would be for the brethren fco decide at the Provincial meeting to be held in January . The Provincial Grand Master next introduced Success to the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Masonic Educational and Benevolent Institution . He said thafc but for fche inclement weather the attendance would

have been much larger , and mentioned that one eminent Mason in that locality had intended to come , but was prevented throngh being unwell—he referred to Colonel Crease , a Pasfc Master of the Phcenix Lodn-e . The interest which had been felt in this institution waa very great and unexampled . He thought the balance sheet in their

hands showed that it had been very successful . There were great ; Masonic institutions demanding large support from the Craft , which they had received with no unstinted hand from the Province of Hampshire and the I . le of Wight . There was a time when their charities received more support from London than tho conntry ,

where they were not then sufficiently known . Bufc in time they became better known , they received very great snpport from tho Province ? , and now the great central charities were nofc only supported by London bufc very much from the Provinces . There wero large Provinces , which , thongh they gave great support to theso

charitiee , could nob expect to get thoir children elected very often . If they got one elected every year or two it was all they could expect . When they had a great number of Lodges in a Province , with a . great many brethren , tbe demands upon the charities became greater than they could bear , and naturally there was some call for fresh

institutions which might tako np thoso who could not expect to get into the larger charities . Therefore ho thought a very good work was done when , through Bro . Lancaster , this charity was established . In moat of these things some one must pull the stroke oar , give au impetus to it and put his shoulder to the wheel , ancl Bro . Lancaster ,

wifch unexampled energy , had instituted and , with the assistance of others , carried out this great work . He thought it reflected great credit upon him and the brethren who had supported him that tho instifcuhad borne such good fruit , as there were now no less than six children receiving the benefits of education . Ho thought the institution well

deserved the support of Freemasons in tho Province . In smaller Provinces it could not be expected that a local charity should receive sufficient assistance to render it successful . It seemed almost doubtful , even in this Province , whether a charity could be supported , bufc no doubt ifc was doing a great and important work in fcho

cause of charity . He should be very loath himself to sup 2 X > rfc it if thoir central Charities wore in consequence to suffer to any extent . Bufc such was not tho CcAae , and , on the contrary , they did their utmost fco support this institution in harmony and side by side with tho great Masonic Charities of tho Order . He coupled with the toast tho

name of Bro . Lancaster , who had done such very good work in starting the institution . Bro . G . F . Lancaster , iu reply , said thafc when he had the pleasure to bring this idea to the front and submit ifc to a few friends in fcho room overhead , he had no idea that it would reach such successful results as ib had done . He explained

why a festival had not been held lasfc year , and read a list of sub-Fcriptions , amounting to £ 119 10 s 3 d . Although they would havo liked to see a large number present , the magnificent total—the res alb of fcho exertions of 23 Stewards , two of whom had nofc yet made

their return—was mitter for great congratulation . The lasfc toast was fche Stewards , proposed by Bro . Goble , and responded to by Cro . E . S . Main , who referred to tho fact thab iu two years tho I ' rovince had sub-cribed SI If to to thia inatitutiou , besides whafc ifc had n-ivon to tha central Charities .