Stanley Of Preston Lodge.

Preston , Coward , and Cornall , Brother T . Hogg presiding at the harmonium . When the Lodge had been consecrated , Brother Eobert Wy lie P . G . D . England Deputy Prov . G . Master took the chair , and performed the ceremony of installing the Earl of Derby as W . M ., in that dignified and faultless manner which is so

wellknown . One of the noteworthy features of the ceremonies was the masterly and striking manner in which the addresses to the W . M ., Wardens , and Brethren were given by the Eev . T . Barton Spencer P . G . C . England , vicar of St . James ' s , Preston . The following Officers were subsequently invested : —Bros .

G . Oakey Acting I . P . M ., Captain W . H . Johnston , V . D ., P . P . G . D . S . W ., T . Nevett P . P . G . S . of W . J . W ., Major J . Carter P . M . Treasurer . E . Barber P . M . Secretary , W . W . Elton P . P . G . A . D . C S . D ., W . H . Johnston J . D ., Captain T . E . Jolly P . P . G . Treas . D . C , J . J . Dallas I . G ., J . F . Wood Organist , and J . Hankin Tyler . Bro . Nevett P . M . was appointed Charity Eepresentative . Before the Lodge closed the S . W . Bro . Capt . Johnston

presented the W . M . with a Founders' jewel , and , in acknowledging the gift , his Lordship said he received it with the greatest pride and pleasure . The institution of the Lodge in a town in which he took the deepest interest was a source of sincere pleasure , and he was most gratified to renew interesting associations with Brethren with whom he had been associated years ago , and from whom he had always received the greatest kindness and Brotherly courtesy .

After numerous propositions for membership had been made , and apologies for non-attendance from various Brethren of distinction had been read , the Lodge was closed . — " Preston Herald . "

Centenary At Fareham.

CENTENARY AT FAREHAM .

THE Craft was represented by a distinguished gathering at Fareham on Thursday of last week , the occasion being the centenary celebration of the Lodge of Harmony , No . 309 . The Brethren assembled in the Lodge room , West Street , under the presidency of the W . M . Bro . Charles Eeader , and received the Provincial Grand Master Bro . W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., and Officers of Provincial Grand Lodge with customary honours .

The impressive ceremony of installing the Centenary Master Bro . Edgar Goble P . M . P . G . Swd . B . England Prov . G . Sec , was conducted by the Provincial Grand Master . The Officers selected for the year were Past Masters of the Lodge , and they were invested as follow : —Bros . C . Eeader

I . P . M ., A . E . Holbrook S . W ., J . W . Gieve J . W ., Eev . A . C . Hervey Chaplain , T . H . Williams Treasurer , W . A . Hill Sec , J . Homan D : C , H . Cooke S . D ., T . W . Haydon J . D ., E . Penton I . G ., W . Edmonds and E . Clover Stewards , and A . Howell Organist . Bro . E . Eames was again appointed Tyler .

The Provincial Grand Master was elected an honorary member of the Lodge , as also was the Grand Secretary of England Bro . E . Letchworth , on his presenting the centenary warrant .

Bro . W . A . Hill Secretary gave a brief but very interesting historical sketch of the Lodge , which was established on Sth April 1796 , at Gosport , and was then No . 551 on the register . The Lodge was removed to Fareham in 1850 , and the members met at the Eed Lion Hotel , from that date until last year , when they removed into their present Lodge room .

A handsome Past Master s jewel was presented to Bro . C . Eeader , the retiring Master , and a centenary jewel to Bro . W . A . Hill , the services to the Lodge of both these members being highly eulogised by Bro . Goble . After a thanksgiving service , conducted by the Eev . A , C Hervey , the Lodge was closed .

The Brethren afterwards met at the Eed Lion Hotel Assembly Booms , where a banquet was served by the Lodge caterer ( Mr . Pyle ) in good style . The room was charmingly decorated by members of the Lodge . Bro . Goble presided over a brilliant gathering , including many prominent members of the

Order . He was supported at the head of the table by the Provincial Grand Master , the Grand Secretary of England , the D . P . G . M . Bro . J . E . Le Feuvre , Bros . E . Eve P . G . Treasurer of England , Alderman Sir William King P . P . G . D ., and W . Edmonds P . P . G . E ., the senior P . M . of the Lodge present .

Provincial Grand Lodge was strongly represented by present and past Officers , and the visitors included the Worshipful Masters and representatives of all Lodges in the district , numbering in all upwards of a hundred .

Brother Beach , replying to the toast of the Prov . G . Master , spoke of the pleasure it afforded him to be present on such an interesting occasion . He dwelt on the excellent principles of Masonry , and , speaking of forty years' experience , averred that the institution was profitable in many ways to those who joined it . The D . P . G . M . replied for the P . G . Officers , and eulogised the Masonic career of their P . G . Master . When he assumed his

Centenary At Fareham.

office there were seventeen Lodges in Hampshire and four in the Isle of Wight ; the combined Province now included forty-eight Lodges , with above 3 , 600 members . Brother Eve , in very complimentary phrases , gave the centenary W . M ., and Bro . Goble , in replying , furnished some interesting Masonic historical facts relating to the period when the Lodge was established .

Bro . W . Edmonds offered , for the acceptance of the Lodge , a very handsome loving cup , of chaste design , in gratitude for his thirty-seven years connection with the Lodge , and expressed a hope that it would tend to cement that kindly good will and affection which had always prevailed in the Lodge .

For the Worshipful Masters of neighbouring Lodges , submitted by Bro . Gieve , Bros . Hynes and Nash responded ; and Sir William King and Dr . Thomas P . P . G . D . West Yorks . were spokesmen for the visitors . The toasts were varied by some excellent songs by Miss

Meredyth Elliott and Mr . Albert Jones , and during the dinner the dulcet strains of the E . M . A . string band were highly appreciated . An elaborate menu card , produced by Messrs . Sutton , contained photo-prints of the whole of the Officers , and a list of the Masters of the Lodge from its establishment . — " Portsmouth Times . "

Learning The Work.

LEARNING THE WORK .

THERE is an injurious notion current in the Craft that it is only necessary for the Officers of a Lodge to learn the work , while the members at large are privileged to remain in ignorance of it , without imparing either their character or their employment as Masons . This is a serious , and sometimes a fatal error , retarding the progress of the Masonio

bodies , subtracting from the enjoyment of the Brethren who are misled by it , and lessening their interest in the art and mystery of Freemasonry and in their own Lodge . We shall do what we can , in the present article , to disabuse the minds of , possibly , some of the readers of the " Minstrel " of this error , and thereby , through their influence with others , advance the best interests of our ancient and honourable Fraternity .

The work of the Craft is Freemasonry incarnate , the flesh and blood of our mystery , the personification of Masonic teachings . What the work does not teach is not taught in Freemasonry . What is not proven by it is not susceptible of proof . It is the alphabet of our system , the horn-book of the Masonic scholar , the authoritative exposition of Masonic truth , . the encyclopsedia of Freemasonry . There is not a lesson of Brotherly love , or of morality , or of charity , or of Masonic philosophy or religion approved by

Freemasonry , that is not distinctly and symbolically taught in the work of the three degrees . This being true , it is apparent that nod only has Masonic work a dignity that is acknowledged , but a power and a glory , in which every Brother of the Craft , from the loftiest to the humblest , from the oldest to the youngest , is entitled to share . Masonic work is the heritage of every newlymade Brother ; it makes him a Mason , and it is an epitome of Masonry . If he does not know it he is Masonically blind , while the sunlight of Masonry is shining in his face .

It is evident that every initiate into the mystery of Freemasonry desires to understand and enjoy it . There are two propositions in this connection which are axiomatic : ( 1 ) The Brother who does not know the work cannot understand Freemasonry ; and ( i ) neither can he enjoy it as he should . First , he cannot understand it . The beauty of the work is that it explains itself . There are no unanswered conundrums propounded by it ; it gives no riddle of the Sphinx ; but every truth taught is plainly and forcibly

stated , and the reason for it is given in connection with the fact . This is the charm of Masonic work—it unfolds the mystery , it explains the art , it makes clear the principles and philosophy of the Craft . But he who is ignorant of the work as a matter of form , necessarily cannot understand it as a matter of substance . He has but the merest smattering of Masonic knowledge , and is in truth a Freemason but in name . In all probability he cannot visit any Lodge unless he is vouched for , for how can a Brother who is ignorant of the work make his way into a Lodge ?

But while , possibly , some Brethren may be willing to be ignorant of the work , all would like to enjoy all that is enjoyable in Freemasonry . Now we assert , without fear of intelligent contradiction , that the Brother who does not know the work has debarred himself from enjoying some of the most pleasurable features of the Craft . He never has had the companionship of

"that angel knowledge . " He is powerless in the Fraternity , since " knowledge is power . " To a Brother who knows the work every meeting of his Lodge , when a degree is either conferred or rehearsed , is interesting . He loves to hear the work . He loves to impart it . He rejoices because he knows Freemasonry , and is an active , intelligent and happy participant in "the fellowship of the mystery . "

After a candidate is received into the Fraternity , he finds that work is tho only currency which the Craft accepts . When a strange visitor comes to a Lodge , it does not simply ask him where he hails from , but can he work ? If he is " rusty , " his place is not even in the outer courts of the Temple , but without , in the company of the profane . An eloquent writer has said , " God is a worker , and He has thickly strewn infinity with grandeur . " Every Freemason should be a worker , and signalise his presence in the Craft by first learning the work , then teaching it , and always enjoying it . The enjoyment is inseparable from the knowledge .

Will not the reader be incited by what we have said to respect more than he has ever done before the work of the Craft , learn it thoroughly , and thereby understand its teaching fully ; and last , and perhaps most of all , enjoy to the full the rich banquet of knowledge , the high intellectual pleasure , which flows from a familiarity with Masonic work . What an impetus would be given to all of our Lodges if all the members attending were working Masons ! How correctly , impressively , and beautifully the work would bo done I How easy it would ba to select a Brother for

Junior Warden at the annual election . What a , happy family would that be where all would know even as they were known I Happy day —when shall we see it ? Soon , very soon , if Brethren everywhere would become earnest , faithful seekers after Masonic light ; or , even on the lower level of mere personal enjoyment , would fully realise that Masonic knowledge is Masonic enjoyment . Ignorance is not bliss in Masonry . Brethren , be Masonically intelligent , learn the work , and you will be Masonically happy . A PAST MASTEB , in " The Minstrel , "