H.R.H. The Prince Of Wales And The Mark Degree.

done his best while in India to bring native brethren into Mark Masonry . Brother Binckes , the Grand Secretary , in response to a longcontinued call , rose , and said that he was one of a largo nnmber whose names wero associated with the toast who wero quite content to trust tho response to tho very ablo hands of Brother Percy Leitli ,

Past District Grand Master of Bombay , and he did not think that he could add anything to what ho had said in returning thanks for tho very kind manner in which tho company had been pleased to receive the toast of the Deputy Grand Master and Grand Officers . But if ho dare say a word , it was this—as to the allusion to his services in the past—he would say , and that without fear of contradiction , that

when , 25 years ago , or thereabouts , he took his share as a responsible Officer of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons , and engaged to do all he could to promote the interests of the Order that he thought deserved support , he never calculated that he shonld live to find—as he did find to-night—such a magnificent success . There were brethren there to-night , some of his old fellow labourers , who had

with him worked with a stern determination , but they never thought that , with the hostility that was displayed towards them , thoy wonld after 25 years of hard work , find the Most Worshipful Grand Master of English Freemasons accepting the Senior Past Gvaud Mastership of Mark Master Masons . He had ventured to say to a distinguished brother to-night that Mark Masons did many extraordinary things ,

and he repeated it now . The word used in their order was " advancement , " it was by progress , by advance that they went on from strength to strength , and he would undertake to say that Mark Grand Lodge had that night received within itself the surest keystone that could by any possibility be placed upon it . They

would show to the Masonic world that they were an essential part of Masonry , and the Grand Lodge should know , if a day of grief ever came to it ( which was not likely ) , that Mark Masonry was the best friend to Craft Masonry . Bro . Dewar , Assistant Grand Secretary , also acknowledged the toast .

Bro . Stephens ( of Reading ) said he had been commissioned to propose the next toast , which was not the least important , that of—The Mark Benevolent Fund . And he would call upon a brother who could give particulars of the fund to reply . He would merely say that the Mark Benevolent Fund deserved the heartiest support , and he would associate the name of Bro . Binckes , while asking the

company to drink to its continued success . Bro . Binckes said it was a very hard task whenever he had an opportunity of addressing his brother Freemasons to be eternally called upon to say something in reference to practical Masonio Charity . There was no charm attaching to it ; he simply had to endeavour to press upon every one he had the opportunity of addressing to do

something for the support of the Masonic Charities . And what words could he use thafc should be conveyed in the shape of novelty ? What words could he use that would have any charm whatever ? It was simply the duty of asking them when they were enjoying themselves , as they were that evening , just to bear in mind that there were those who in fche circumstances of life were nofc so happily

situated as those who were then present ; that there were the children also of those who had at one time been as happily situated as his hearers , and there were the Old People too . He had an occasion to say in Mark Lodge over and over again that one of the most eminent members of Grand Lodge—Bro . John Havers—had , in reference to the great success of Mark Masonry said to him , " Do not

you think it is a great mistake to divert the money from the Charities of the Order for the purpose of fostering an ideal degree like tho M . G . Lodge ? " His ( Bro . Binckes ' s ) reply was , thafc whereveryou meet—under whatever circumstances you meet , you will never find brethren who will not be disposed to do something in the shape of practical charity . What had they done in the Mark Degree ? They had

a certain amount of money , for their own Charities had been most successful . At two o ' clock thafc afternoon His Royal Highness was partaking of their hospitality afc a luncheon ; at half-past three lie was taking the proud position of Senior Past Grand Master . They would make this a red letter day . He placed his mark thero ; every one present placed his mark there . They had at the banquet table

distinguished brethren from all parts of England . What was tho result of their observation of the work of Mark Masonry ? Why they knew , as all present knew , thafc the object of Mark Masters was to do all they possible could to cultivate and support the best interests of Freemasonry . They had nothing in the shape of hostility to the Grand Lodge of England . Would His Royal Highness have

honoured them with his presence if he had thought ho would violate the obligations he had taken ? Ho ( Bro . Binckes ) wanted them to bear in mind that His Royal Highness laid ifc clown as a distinct understanding thafc by his undertaking that position in Mark Grand Lodge it was not to be considered in any shape or way any justification for an appeal that the Mark was to be aceopterl as an integral

portion of Freemasonry . He would toll them thoy did not wish for that ; they were strong enough to hold their own ; they had nine Past Masters , the most illustrious brethren in the Grand Lodge of England . A year ago they accepted and paid homage to the Duke of Albany as Past Grand Master , nnd to-night as they knew they had received , as Senior Past Grand Master , tho Prince of Wales . The

Craft Grand Lodge could not do that . The Mark word , however , wns advancement—progress . Now , as to the Charity , his good friend Brother Havers had asked him , "do yon not think it is a great mistake to divert the funds that aro supporting Mark Masonry from supporting tho Charities of tho Order ? " Now , what had they found by experience ? why , that their Mark Lodges and

Mark Grand Lodges had been and were the best supporters of all the great Charities annexed to Craft Masonry : and then they had gone outside and founded Charities of their own —a Benevolent Fund and an Educational Fund—by means of which both boys and girls were supported and educated ; and he said , without fear of contradiction , that their Mark Grand Lodge wa = s the best handmaid that the Craft Grand Lodge of England ever had in

H.R.H. The Prince Of Wales And The Mark Degree.

tho world ; aud they wore carrying out , on parallel lines , its great inestimable truths . Let them go on and prosper . Mark Masonry was recognised by every other body in tho old world and in the now ; but , as ho had said before , they could do without affiliation , as they were strong enough to stand alono . Bro . Matier said that ho had been honoured by tho Most Worship .

ful Master in the chair by being allowed to propose a toast was not in the official programme , and that toast was ono he was sure that every Mark Master among thorn would honour , and revere and drink to with the heartiest enthusiasm . Although they had not been honoured that evening , through unavoidable circumstances , with tho presence of the Most Worshipful Grand Master or Deputy Grand

Master , they wore honoured by tho presence of a brother who bad presided over them with the utmost ability and most gracious cordiality , and the most perfect manner , in every way in which a Chairman should behave . His Eight Worshipful Brother Broadley had presided in the most perfect manner , and tho thanks of all of them were duo to him for the great ability ho had displayed in the chair . He therefore asked thorn to drink with enthusiasm to tho

health of their chairman . Bro . Broadley , in acknowledging tho compliment said , that while he was in Tnnis and Malta ho had dono his best to promote Mark Masonry ; while in Egypt , though engaged for sixteen hours a day on very special business—tho nature of which ho need not parti , cnlarly allude to—he contrived to found a Lodgo under the shadow of the Pyramids : he understood that two others only awaited consecration .

Bro . Binckes , on rising to propose the concluding toast , thafc of the Visitors , said , there was a distinguished brother present for whom he ( Bro . Binckes ) had a very great regard , one who had done Mark Masonry service in many ways , and while they wero pluming themselves on having achieved a largo amonnt of success , he thought they mnst not lose sight of the fact that every member

of Mark Grand Lodge was a member of the Craft Grand Lodge of England . They had amongst them that evening a brother who , while discharging his duties most faithfully in reference to the Grand Lodge of England , did not ignore other degrees outside thafc system . That brother ' s presence showed that he had a desire to support a degree not altogether recognised by the Grand Lodge of

England . He proposed to them the toast of the Visitors , with which he would couple the name of the Grand Secretary Bro . Col . Shadwell H . Gierke . Bro . Colonel Shadwell H . Gierke having acknowledged fche compliment , tho company separated . At the banquet table fche Senior Warden's chair was occupied by Bro . Dewar , while Bro . Berridge occupied that of Junior Warden .

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INSTALLATION OF H . R . H . THE PRINCE OF WALES As tlie M . W . Gr . M . of England , AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL , 28 th APEIL 187 5 . COPIES of this BEAUTIFUL ENGRAVING by Brother HARTY P . M ., consisting of Artist's Proofs , Proofs before Letters , and Lettered Proofs , India Prints , and Plain Prints may bo had at Cost Price by applying to Bro . W . R . NORRIS , 29 Southampton Buildings , W . C , London .

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EDUCATION . — HAMBURG . Bro . JOHN A . NEECK , 9 Bimdesstrasse , HAMBURG , Is prepared to receive into his Family TWO OR THREE ENGLISH YOUTHS AS BOARDERS During the time they attend School in this City . CAREFUL SUPERVISION , KINO TREATMENT , BEST BODILY & MENTAL CARE High . References in England and Hamburg . X ^ XIOSX ^ XVCTUS ZEM IR , IE IE

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DANCING . —To Those Who Have Never Learnt to Dance . —Bro . and Mrs . JACQUES WYNMANN receive daily , and undertake to teach ladies and gentlemen , who have never had tho slightest previous knowledge or instruction , to go through every fashionable ball-dance in a few easy lessons Private lessons any hour . Horning and evening classo PROSPECTUS OS APPLICATION ACADEMY—74 NEWMAN STREET . OXFORD STREET , W . BBO . JACQUES WVSMANN WILL BE HAPPI TO TAKE THB MASAGEMEHT OI MASOKIC BALLS . FIRST-CLASS BANBS PBOVIUKD .

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FIRE AT FREEMASONS' HALL ! T ARGE photographs of the Temple , taken immediately after the JL J fire , on 1 th Hay ( suitable for framing ) , os each ; or framed in oak , securely packed , sent to any address ia tho United Kingdom , carriage paid , on receiptor cheque For 15 s . Masters of Lodges should secure this memor ' al of the old Temple for their Lodgo rooms . W . G . PARK SB , Photographer , 40 High Holborn , W . C . K < it : iblialic < l 25 year * .

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The Revised Book of Constitutions ; Critically Considered , and Compared with the Old Edition . London : Simpkin , Marshall & Co ., 4 Stationers' Hall Court , B . C . Sent on receipt of stamps , Ono Shilling , by W . W . Morgan , Freemason ' s Chronicle Office , Belvidere Works , Hermes Hill , Pentonville , London , N —( ABVT ) .