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The Lord Mayor And Sheriff Of London At The Clerkenwell Lodge.

THE LORD MAYOR AND SHERIFF OF LONDON AT THE CLERKENWELL LODGE .

THE proceedings of the annual election meeting of the Clerkenwell Lodge , No . 1964 , on Saturday evening last , were invested with more than ordinary interest , from the fact that the Right Hon the Lord Mayor ( Bro . Alderman Knight ) and Bro . Sheriff Savory had accepted invitations to be present . The brethren assembled at the Holborn Viaduct Hotel , about four o ' clock , when Lodge was

opened m accordance with ancient rites , nnder the presidency of Bro . Edgar Bowyer P . G . S . W . Herts , Worshipfnl Master , who was snp . ported by Bros . John Tuck I . G . acting as S . W ., J . J . Goode J . W ., Rev . J . H . Rose Chaplain , G . A . Potter Treasurer , James Terry P . P . G . S . W . Norths and Hunts ( Secretary of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution ) Secretary , Henry Radcliffe P . M . 91858 P . G . S .

, Eng . S . D ., Major Robert Rolfe J . D ., J . E . Terry acting as I . G ., H . Paget , W . Clarke , C . W . Scott , H . Jenner , R . W . Cole , W . J . Halford , Col . J . Lambert P . M . P . G . S . B ., W . Wilkinson , F . Poster , T . M Edwards , A . Walkley Tyler , and others . The Visitors included Bros , the Right Hon . the Lord Mayor of London ( Alderman H . Knight P . M . Mount Moriah Lodge , No . 34 ) , Sheriff Joseph Savory Emulation 21

, H . G . Buss Assistant Grand Secretary , C . P . Hogard P . M . Israel 205 P . P . G . Supt . Works Essex , C . F . Matier P . M . Humphrey Chetham 645 P . P . G . W . Greece , Edward F . Storr P . M . Treasurer Neptune 22 , Dr . J . W . Ramsay P . M . Prince of Wales 259 , E . T . Edwards P . M . Crescent 788 , E . Culver W . M . St . Mary ' s 63 , W . J . C . Martin S . W . Union 127 , James Arnold Athenaeum 1491 , H . W . Johnson 1491 , B .

Newstead J . W . St . Thomas 142 , Seymour Smith Orgauist Crystal Palace 742 , & o . Lodge having been advanced to the second degree , Bros . Charles W . Scott and Henry Jenner were passed as F . C . ' s , the work being effectively rendered by the Worshipfnl Master , assisted by his Officers . At the close of the ceremony Lodge was resumed , and the brethren proceeded to the election of a Worshi pful Master

for the ensning year , the ballot being unanimously in favour of Bro . Bro . T . Hastings Miller P . M . 904 1489 Past Provincial G . Organist Middlesex , who has ably officiated during the past year as Senior Warden of the Clerkenwell Lodge , but who was prevented , by indisposition , from being present on this oocasion . Bro . G . A . Potter was re-elected as Treasurer , with thanks for his past services ,

and Bro . A . Walkley was re-appointed Tyler . Three brethren were also eleoted to form part of the Audit Committee . The arrival in state of Bros , the Lord Mayor and Sheriff Savory was the signal for a most enthusiastic and hearty welcome , and on the entrance of the distinguished Civic visitors into the Lodge roem , they were greeted with Masonio honours . During the evening , Bro . Terry presented to the

Lodge a beautifully bound copy of the bye-laws , engrossed on vellum , which was acceptad with a hearty vote of thanks , proposed by Bro . Colonel Radcliffe , seconded by Bro . Goode , and carried by acclamation . Business having been satisfactorily disposed of , the brethren and visitors adjourned to a magnificently served banquet , the whole of the arrangements of which , under the personal

superintendence of Bro . G . W . Rowe , were such as to reflect the highest credit upon this high class hotel , and the proprietors , Messrs . Spiers and Pond . Dessert having been placed before the guests , the customary Loyal toasts were given from the chair and duly honoured , the Worshipful Master alluding to the deep interest taken in the Craft by the Most Worshipful Grand Master the Prince of Wales ,

and the rapid strides which Freemasonry has made since his Royal Highness ' s advent to power in it . In giving the health of our Masonic Rnlers , he said he was sure those who had seen the Pro Grand Master the Earl of Carnarvon , and the Deputy G . Master tho Earl of Lathom , presiding over them in Grand Lodge , knew what excellent heads of the Craft they were . The Past and Present Grand

Officers did all they possibly could to further the interests of the Craft at large . To-night they were favoured with the company of Bro . Buss , the Assistant Grand Secretary of England , and a member of their own Lodge , and Bro . Lambert , Past G . Sword Bearer , whose names he would associate with the toast . Bro . Colonel Shadwell Gierke , the Grand Secretary , had written to say he should have been

most happy to have been present that evening , but a prior engagement of long standing took him to Brighton . Bro . H . G . Buss , in respond-] ug said , obedient to tho call of the W . M ., he rose at once to reply to the toast which had been so kindly proposed ; he did so because the Worshipful Master could not err . Still , on the present occasion there was present their excollent Brother Lambert , who

was his senior in office , and who shonld have been called on first . He thanked them most heartily for tho way in which the toast had been received . It was very well known that tho two noblemen named admirabl y discharged the duties of their respective offices in Grand Lod ge . They were held in high esteem in tho Provinces ovor which they presided , as well as in their positions of Pro Grand Master and Deput y . On behalf of the rest of the Grand Officers , he said they

were anxions and willing to perform their duties , and the acclamation with which their names were always received on occasions of this kind afforded evidence , if any were needed , of the appreciation in which their services were held by the brethren . If anything conld Possibl y be adduced to satisfy the Craft at large that the M . W . G . M ., m the exercise of his prerogative , made the best possible selection , it Would be in the way in which the names of tho Grand Officers were received from time to time . On his own behalf he thanked them most

heartily for inviting him to be present that evening . He was proud and grateful to them for having done so , and for the pleasure they had afforded him in meeting so many officers and Civio dignitaries on the occasion . Bro . George Lambert also returned thanks , and in doing so said tho Past Grand Officers had in their day and generation done good suit and service to the Craft , and he did not believe

for a moment they arrived at that position withont having left their mark on Freemasonry . It was certainly a great hononr to be a Grand Officer , and he esteemed it an honour done his Lodge to have had that apron conferred upon him . He referred to the work done by the Past Grand Officers on the various committees on which they were elected , and expressed his belief that

they all did their duty in carrying out the objects they had in view , as though they had their heart and soul in the business to which they were called . He felt glad and proud to wear the purplej and to _ hear the encominms passed upon the Grand Officers in every Lodge throughout the length and breadth of the land . That amply repaid them for any little trouble they might

have taken in past years . In the temporary absence of the Worshipful Master , he would take the liberty of proposing a toast , whioh he felt sure would be acceptable to all present . He asked them to drink , with all the heartiness of which they were capable , the health of their esteemed Worshipfnl Master , who had been so indefatigable in his labours for tho advancement of this Lodge in the

Craft . He appealed to every brother around this table , —did they ever find a Master conduct his work a 3 well as did Bro . Bowyer ? Their Worshipful Master was out of the room now , and so he could speak more freely . He put it forward as a challenge that he never saw a Master discharge the office with such ability and suavity of manner as did Bro . Bowyer . They were much indebted to him for

what he had done for this young Lodge , and their warmest thanks were due to him for his disinterested and unwearied exertions . They recollected that during the Mayoralty of Bro . Sir John Whitaker Ellis , he invited his Lordship and the then Sheriff ( Bro . Alderman Sir R . Hanson ) to attend their banquet ; and they were favoured with the distinguished presence of tho present Lord Mayor , and their

good friend the Sheriff—though he was only as yet an initiate . He thanked Bro . Bowyer for having invited these gentlemen , and them for so kindly accepting the invitation . He asked the brethren to drink to tbe health of the Worshipful Master of the Clerkenwell Lodge ; long might he live , and might the Lodge flourish . The Worshipful Master , who re-entered the room at this moment , was loudly cheered .

He thanked the brethren most sincerely for the kind compliment they had paid him in his absence , and assured them it was a great pleasure to him to do anything to advance the interests of Freemasonry , as he had always done ¦ inoe he joined the Order . It was one of the proudest things in life to enjoy the esteem of our fellowmen , and he only hoped , whatever the future might be , he might lay

claim to having tried to deserve the good opinion of those with whom he had been associated in the Craft . The Worshipful Master said there was one toast which he was certain they would all drink with especial pleasure and gratification that evening , it was the health of the two distinguished brethren who had honoured them with their presence—he referred to the Rt . Hon . the Lord Mayor of

London and Sheriff Savory . He was quite sure all would join with him in expressing their sense of the hononr done the Lodge , when they considered the multiplicity of engagements which the Lord Mayor and Sheriff had to fulfil in their publio capacities . It was , therefore , very kind of them to set apart a few hours that evening , to do honour to the Clerkenwell Lodge . Both these gentlemen in

their respective offices had won golden opinions from the citizens of London , and he was quite sure the brethren of this Lodge hailed their presence amongst them on this occasion with the utmost gratitude and pleasure . Bro . Seymour Smith here sang an exceedingly humorous composition , entitled "The Lord Mayor ' s Show , " in which he delineated various characters in the crowd on

Lord Mayor ' s Day , provoking hearty laughter . Bro . the Rt . Hon . the Lord Mayor , who was received with prolonged applause , said , Unaccustomed as he was to public speaking , they would hardl y expect him to say much to them to-night , because he was not in the habit of addressing large assemblies of his fellow-men , such as he saw now before him , being naturally of a retiring , bashful , and

modest disposition ; added to which , he was now asked to return thanks for a toast in a Freemasons' Lodge . They could imagine , better than he conld describe , the nervousness which came over him , and almost incapacitated him for responding to the toast , whioh had been so ably proposed by their Worshipful Master . He thought he had got over that introductory parb very well indeed . He could

assure them rising to return thanks for his health , which had been so kindly proposed , he did so , feeling very much honoured that his fellow Craftsmen had been pleased to seek his society in various Lodges , thus giving him so ninny opportunities of going amongst them during his mayoralty . If time were at his disposal he believed there was not a Lodge which he shonld not have the pleasnre of

visiting , for they could scarcely credit tho number of invitations he received , and which he conld not now detail to them . He saw present a friend of his ( Bro . E . F . Storr ) who was most indefatigable in keeping him constantly reminded of his promise to attend a meeting of the Neptune , on the 29 th of this month , and who seemed determined ha should not have any loophole of getting out of

enjoying the hospitality of that Lodge . Ho had no wish to got out of it , but it was impossible for him to ongago himself positively so long beforehand . His first duty was to tho City of London , and though ho fully realised his duty to Freemasonry , he could not pledge himself to " invitations which might interfere with his duty to the citizens . If he did so , he mig ht fiad some public business which would

imperatively demand his presence elsewhere ^ and thus it would not only be disappointing the brethren , but holding out hopes to them which he shonld be utterly nnablo to fulfil . That was his only reason for not accepting invitations to more Masonic Lodges than he did . He did not think they cared for a regular set speech on occasions of this kind , and referring to the capital song they had just hoard about