Ar01000

( Continued from page 39 . ) certain things that were immovable . The dignified post he now occnpied , with its honours and insignia of office , would pass away in the course of twelve months , and be conferred on some one more worthy than himself ; bnt that which was immovable , and whioh he should not forget as long as he lived , was gratitnde for the kindness and

sympathy whioh he had met with from all the brethren of the Cmswick Lodge , and if he should in the course of a short time , to use the saying of a distinguished man , be in a position of greater freedom and less responsibility , he hoped to make up for that deficiency of time and attention whioh owing to exceptional circumstances he

had been nnable to pay to his Masonio duties . The Installing Master was the next toast . The W . M . said of all the functions which were associated with Masonry , the most important was that of the yearly installation of the Master of a Lodge , and it no doubt conferred notoriety and dignity upon a Lodge that that duty shonld be

performed by one who occupied a high position in the Masonio Order . The brethren had been specially favoured that day by the attendance of a large number of Grand Officers , and Col . Shadwell Gierke had been kind enough to undertake that most important duty ; he cordially thanked him , and trusted he would find , not only during the

next twelve months but in years to come , that this Lodge , by its growth and development , appreciated the attention whioh on this occasion had been bestowed on it by distinguished Masons , and that it would show itself in every way worthy of the duty which he had so kindly undertook on its behalf . Col . Shadwell Gierke said : As

Grand Secretary of the Order he supposed he might call himself the Executive Officer of the Masonio Society . In addition to the light employment of his morning's work , of opening and answering one or two hundred letters , he had also to watch over and make himself acquainted with the affairs , the efforts , the working and history of

the 2000 and more Lodges on the roll of fche United Grand Lodge . The history of the Chiswick Lodge did not—even with this amount of work—escape his eye . It was as nearly as possible five years since that he had the pleasure and honour of consecrating the Lodge and of installing a good and worthy brother , whose absence that night

they all muoh regretted , Bro . Everett , the first Master . Shortly after the consecration the Lodge was removed to the Star and Garter , Kew Bridge , and this was a fortunate event . Since then he had been present at many of its meetings , and be had watched its progress and seen it ruled over by many good and worthy

brethrenmore especially he might mention Bros . Gardner , Harvey , and Dr . Lawrance . But he never contemplated that he should have so great an honour and distinction conferred upon him as to be asked to instal the noble Mason who now occupied the chair . That brother came of an illustrious Masonio stock . As an old Irish Mason of many degrees ,

he ( Col . Gierke ) had a strong recollection of the illustrious father of their W . M . —the late Duke of Abercorn—in Ireland , and they all knew with what acclamation his illustrious brother succeeded his father in the position of Grand Master of Ireland . The whole of the family had been Masons , good and keen Masons ; and he was sure

that the Chiswick Lodge must have a peculiar feeling of pride and gratification in receiving Lord George Hamilton as their Master . Lord George Hamilton , as an Irish Mason , had been well known , and he personally felt it a great pleasure to know that he had now extended his Masonio connection to the English jurisdiction . Lord George

Hamilton was actuated by a strong Masonio feeling , and , as he had so eloquently put it , he felt he would add one more unit to the building up of a work for the good of Masonry and the amelioration of the condition of . mankind . The Initiates , Bros . Pemeller and Callingham , briefly responded to the next toast , which was given in their honour .

Then the Yisitors were complimented . The W . M . regretted the absence of the Lord Chancellor , who had been obliged to catch an early train in order to get home ; also of Bro . Philbrick . Lord Claud Hamilton represented Irish Masonry on this occasion . All his ( the W . M . ' s ) family came from Irish Masonio stock ; but the ideas and

connection between the Masonry of the United Kingdom and that of Ireland were identical , the union of hearts so thorough , that no legislation would ever be able to separate them . He would call on Lord Claud Hamilton to reply , and also on Bro . Broadley Past District Grand Master of Malta . Lord Claud Hamilton said he was

only a humble Irish M . P ., but he trusted the company assembled would not think that for that reason he was an unworthy representative of the visitors to the Chiswick Lodge . The visitors had but one feeling with regard to what had taken place on this auspicious occasion—a feeling of intense satisfaction at the manner

in which the ritual had been given , and afc the hospitality fchey had received . The W . M . had said thafc in his opinion ( from which he would not dissent ) , ifc was some advantage to a Lodge to be associated with a gentleman high in political position . In this country he cordially agreed with what had fallen from tbe W . M . in that

respect ; but the advantages of their being connected with the Navy waa in some respects mutual . It had been said in this conntry that the Civil Lords were not altogether acquainted with the Service over which it was tboir duty , from time to time , to preside . Bnt on this occasion tho W . M . had learned some valuable information ; he had been able to learn from Col . Shadwell Gierke the undoubted fact

that the sun rose in the east ; he had also learned from the S . W . that the same grand luminary sot in fcho west , and that was a very important factor in naval administration . Ho would call that the practical side of the question . He would now go to the convivial . In Ireland they conducted the ritual with the self-same care as that

which was accorded it in England . At all events , they believed they were fully equal to their English brethren in work ; but when their labours wore over they indulged in refreshment , and often spent very cheery evenings . Sometimes , in his own Lodge—not on such grand occasions as the present , but more homely ones—the W . M . and

others favoured the Lodge with a song . Now , if there was one thing the members of the naval service believed they were more capable of than another it was the singing of a song , and he thought tho W . M . might do worse than in moments of leisure cultivating that art , and he might learn from their old schoolfellow Lord Ch & yles

Ar01001

Beresford the tune and words of " Tom Bowling "—or possibly the somewhat more racy words of the long-forgotten song—" Lovely Sal . " On behalf of the visitors , he wished the Chiswick Lodge success . It had had a short but very distinguished life ; there was every indication that it would continue to progress , and become

equal to any Masonio body in England . Bro . Broadley said he would not trespass very long on the attention of the brethren . It would doubtless be a great deal more entertaining if Lord Cland Hamilton would favour fchera with either of fche ditties he had mentioned than to listen to their post-prandial oratory . But he could nofc forbear

tendering his humble congratulations , as the representative of Freemasonry in the Mediterranean , and as Secretary of fche Drury Lane Lodge , to the Chiswick Lodge—on possessing so illustrious a Worshipful Master , and , secondly , to Lord John Hamilton on arriving at the high position of a ruler in the Craft . There was

a time when vehicles nofc so swift as trains existed , when royalty lived in the immediate district where they were now assembled , bnt he thought thafc this was the first occasion when two Cabinet Ministers had been present at a Masonic meeting at Kew . The ceremony of that night ; would doubtless to some extent restore the

pristine fame of Kew ; but , afc the same time , he had not the slightest doubt it would mark an epoch in the history of that Lodge , whioh already had gained an enviable reputation among the Lodges in the suburbs of London . There was an affinity between the Drury Lane Lodge and the Chiswick Lodge in the present year j while the

First Lord of the Admiralty held the helm of one , a veteran Admiral will rule over the other . Looking at the emblems whioh adorned the room wherein the brethren were assembled , fche naval flags and trophies , and , remembering that Admiral Inglefield was to preside over Drury Lane Lodge this year , it was a subject of regret that he

was nob able fco be then present . There was a very great and traditional affinity between the naval service and Freemasonry . There was a time , the Grand Secretary could tell them , when warrants were granted for holding Lodges on board Her Majesty's ships , and there was no place where Freemasonry was more popular than in

seaboard places . In Malta , the naval half-way house of the Mediterranean , 32 years ago , Bro . Col . Shadwell H . Gierke was initiated in one of the Lodges there . If there was one subject whioh must cause all of them great sorrow thafc evening it was that there was a vacant chair whioh betokened the absence of a respected and esteemed

brother , and he would be doing injustice to the brethren s feelings if he did not say a word about their good Bro . Everett . The Chiswick Lodge , like every other Institution , was indebted to a great

extent to individual energy , and he thought they would all agree with him that that energy was personified in that large-hearted brother , whose indisposition precluded his presence that evening . Bro . Everett had no doubt tortured himself with all manner of

anxieties as to the success of the gathering . The year 1889 waa doubtless destined to be a memorable one in the history of the Chiswick Lodge . In the month of January the First Lord of the Admiralty transferred his affections from those boards with whioh he was officially connected to the Masonic board , whioh perhaps after all he

would find more convivial ; but the month of March might have in store for the Chiswick Lodge not a greater , bufc an equally important honour , for the accession of Lord George Hamilton to the chair might—and he ventured to say very probably would—be supplemented by the accession to the office of Grand Treasurer of England

of Bro . George Everett , their esteemed P . M . and Treasurer . The next toast was the Past Masters ; the W . M . said if the Chiswick Lodge had in the course of its existence attained considerable prosperity , and if after its expanses had been paid , ifc had a considerable balance afc its bankers , that vvas mainly due to the care of the Past Masters ,

and prominent among them were Bros . Lawrance , Gardner , and Everett . They had exercised every care , had discharged every duty —with one single exception . This , his brother , an Irish Mason , seemed to think was inseparable from the duties of a Mason—that of singing a good song . He would only point out to his brother that the

English differed from his Irish friends in this , that here in England they always sang in harmony . With that single exception fche Past Masters of this Lodge were capable of comparing with fche Past Masters of any other . Dr . Lawrance , the I . P . M ., said that one and all of the Past Masters took great interest in the Chiswick Lodge ,

and as long as they remained members would do all fchey conld fco promote its prosperity . He did not hesitate to say that ; good work had been done by the Lodge . Ifc had always been a great point to have the work thoroughly well done . The brethren had been satisfied with what ho had done , as was evidenced by fche handsome jewel

fchey had presented him , and for which he could nofc find words to thank them sufficiently . For his own part he should continue to take an interest in tho Lodge , and ho was sure Bro . Gardner would continue hia exertions . Ho need say nothing to assure the brethren of Brother Everett ' s interest in tho Lodgo ; ifc was patent to all . Bro . Everett

was particularly sorry to be away that nignt , but there was no help for it ; his medical man would not ; allow him to leave his bed . With regard to the working of tho Lodge , tho brethren all knew Lord George Hamilton wonld not be able to be with them afc every meeting during his term , but tho work would be done by some other P . M ., and his

lordship might rest comfortably on that point . Bro . Gardner P . M . and Sec , in proposing the Masonic Charities , said all the brethren were aware this was a pet toast of his . From tho consecration of the Lodge it had always contributed yearly a certain sum from its funds towards one of the Masonio Charities , in turn . This

year it fell to their lot to contribute to the Boys' School , which was moro in want of subscriptions than either of the other Charities . Last year the Girls' School Centenary Festival was held , and the very largo sum of over £ 50 , 000 was secured . Thafc necessitated a falling off in the subscriptions to tho Boys' School and

to the Old People ' s Institution , b . causo they could nofc find brethren to put their hands in their pockots every day to support all three Institutions . The Institntion he was going to support this year he thought was the most deserving , or rather it had the most claims upon tho attention of the brethren , inasmuch as ifc had educated