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GRAND TREASURERSHIP 1901 . CANDIDATE : W . BRO . CAPT . JOHN BARLOW , J . P ., P . M . 1260 , 1012 , & c , & c . CHAIRMAN OF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE : W . BRO . JAMES IRVINE P . M ., & c . Brethren and Friends having Signed Sheets in their possession in favour of Bro . Capt . Barlow are- requested to forward them as soon as possible , to the London or Provincial Secretaries , as necessary , for Registration . WALTER POTTER , 442 Kingsland Road , N . E . C . D . CHEETHAM , 7 . Mosley Street ,. Manchester .

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THE HERCULES , LEADENHALL STREET . J . F . NEADE , Proprietor , WINE AND SPIRIT MERCHANT , 119 Leadenhall Street , London , E . G . Excellent accommodation for Lodges of Instruction . The Confidence Lodge , No . 193 , meets at this establishment every Wednesday , at 7 o ' clock .

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< - < } a ^^ Q ^^^^ pa SATURDAY , I 6 TH FEBRUARY IOOI .

Royalty And The Craft.

ROYALTY AND THE CRAFT .

Resignation of the Grand Master . The King as Protector of Engrlish Freemasonry . Nomination of a Successor .

THERE was a large and brilliant gathering of the Craft at the Especial Grand Lodge held yesterday afternoon at the Queen ' s Hall , Langham Place , present and past Officers of Grand Lodge being strongly in evidence .

The Pro Grand Master Earl Amherst Prov . G . Master of Kent presided , and was supported by Bro . W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., Prov . G . M . Hants and Isle of Wight as Deputy Grand Master , Viscount Templetown S . G . W ., Sir John B . Monckton

as J . G . W ., Edward Letchworth G . Sec , etc ., etc . Grand Lodge having been opened in ample form Bro . Frank Richardson , who acted as D / . C ., called upon the Brethren to salute the Grand Masters of Ireland and

Scotland , and that having been done those distinguished visitors bowed their acknowledgments . The Pro Grand Master said it was his duty to move a loyal address to His Majesty—in terms of the agenda we published last week—but he did not think it was necessary

for him to make long reference to either of the sections int : > which it was divided . Her Majesty the late Queen was a Patron and supporter of the Charities of the Order , and by allowing her sons and grandsons to become members of the Craft , and take upon themselves high Office therein , had

evinced her great interest in Freemasonry . The Pro Grand Master did not claim that the Masons of England were more loyal than any other section of His Majesty ' s subjects , but he did say they were second to none in their loyalty . His Majesty had to follow a sovereign who had endeared

herself to all , and a heavy burden fell upon his shoulders . He would shortly have to announce that the King had determined to resign the Grand Mastershi p , and would assume the position and title of Protector of English Masonry . His

services to the Craft and its Charities had been many , and as Freemasons they owed much to His Majesty the King , for what he had done during the time he had ruled over them as Grand Master .

.. Bro . Beach said m the absence of the Deputy Grand Master the Earl of Warwick he was called upon to second the proposition . As Freemasons they claimed to share in the great sorrow that had come upon them in company with

Royalty And The Craft.

all classes of Englishmen . No more would the time honoured sentiment of " The Queen and the Craft" be heard in their midst , but they had the satisfaction oi knowing that the late Grand Master , who had succeeded to the high heritage would do his very utmost to maintain and uphold

the dignity gained by her late Majesty . Their Prince of Wales had prepared himself for his high position by many gracious deeds , notable among which was his well remembered visit to India , from which the most happy relations between that vast empire and the mother country resulted .

The support His Majesty had given to Charity had done very much to endear him to the nation . They could but very much regret he would no longer preside over them , but let them hope he would take the opportunity of

continuing to associate himself with the Craft , though he was no longer its actual head . They trusted the King might have health and strength to reign over a united empire for many years to come .

The Grand Master of Western Australia rose to express , on behalf of that Sovereign Grand Lodge , and the Lodges under its jurisdiction , sorrowful acquiesence with the terms of the motion . In no part of His Majesty ' s dominions would

his retirement from the Grand Mastership be more regretted than throughout the Australasian Grand Lodges , and in n-j part of the Craft would a deeper regret be felt at the loss the Craft had sustained .

The Duke of Abercorn , as Grand Master of Ireland , hoped be might be permitted to re-echo the expressions and sentiments just uttered b y the speakers who had preceded him . He testified to the great regret the Masons of Ireland had experienced in the loss of their late beloved Queen . The

Masons of Ireland were , as loyal as their Brethren in England , and although they could not claim the Kins' as their Grand Master they yet enjoyed his association with their Brotherhood as its Patron . He hoped the King would see his way to continue that association .

The Hon . James Hozier , M . P ., as Grand Master Mason of Scotland begged leave on behalf of the Freemasons of Scotland- —at home , in India , in the colonies and in foreign

parts—to express entire approval and endorsement . They , too , had -hitherto had the honour of having the King as their Patron , and their earnest hope and prayer was that he would continue to be the Patron of Ail Scottish Freemasonry .

The . District Grand Master of the Transvaal desired , as representing the loyal Freemasons of all South Africa , to express their sense of the loss that had fallen upon them . Their sorrow was increased by the fact that the King had

felt it necessary to give up the Grand Mastership , for they could but remember one of his last Masonic acts as Grand Master was to extend sympathy and help to the loyal Freemasons who lived under his rule in South Africa . The motion was then unanimously agreed to .

The Pro Grand Master next read the communication from His Majesty the King , who said he thought it would be convenient to follow the example of his predecessor George

IV ., who , when he became King , resigned the same appointment . He should retain the position and title of Protector of English Freemasonry . This letter was ordered to be entered on the minutes of Grand Lodge .

The necessary formalities having been gone through to allow of a new Grand Master being nominated it was proposed that H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught P . G . W . Prov . G . M . Sussex District G . M . Bombay Past Grand Master of England be elected , and no other name was submitted .

Grand Lodge was then closed in ample form , the Brethren standing and singing the first verse of the National Anthem .

Bro . Alfred James Thomas was installed as Master of the Lodge of Regularity , No . 91 , on Thursday , at Freemasons ' Hall , Great Queen Street , W . C . A report of the proceedings will appear in our next issue .

ihe installation meeting of the Philbnck Chapter , No . 1662 , will be held at the Great Eastern Hotel , Liverpool Street , E . C ., next Tuesday , when Comps . J . H . Wildash , W , Gower , and James Clark will be installed as the Principals .

The St . Michael ' s Lodge , No . 211 celebrated its 106 th anniversary on Tuesday , at tne Albion , Aldersgate Street , when Bro . George F . Johnson was installed . A report of the proceedings will appear in our next issue ,