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' " 1 —3 -- .. . BggsBSBsara'm yyagj . a ^^^^^^^^ a SATURDAY , 23 RD MARCH 1901 .

The Edwards Trust.

THE EDWARDS TRUST .

THE members of the Derwent Lodge , No . 40 enjoy a privilege few Lodges possess—a " Home of Rest . " 1 his

consists of a very nice housej situated in a retired and quiet portion of the Old Town in close proximity " " to St . Clements Church , and is for the use of any subscribing member in straitened circumstances , rent free .

In 1842 a minute of the Lodge is thus recorded : — " Died March 30 th , our venerable and respected Bro . Wm . Edwards , aged 8 3 years , arid on April 4 th nineteen of the Brethren accompanied his mortal remains to see them consigned to their Mother Earth .

" The deceased Brother was a subscribing member thirty-six years . His zeal for Masonry was manifested by punctual attendance to all summonses , rarely equalled and never excelled . "

The Brethren , to show their esteem and regard , erected a handsome headstone to his memory in All Saints Churchyard , and a painting of the deceased was subscribed for by the members , and now hangs in the Lodge room .

In 1871 , the following letter was addressed to the then Secretary Bro . J . Winter .

MY DEAR OLD FRIEND , —You are the oldest acquaintance I have in dear old Hastings . You are also a Freemason of that Order of which my father as a member was so much respected , and to whose memory the Lodge has paid so many marks of respect . I therefore beg ( through you ) to convey my thanks to the

Brotherhood for the lasting proof of the esteem which they have carried out to perpetuate , the memory of my . father as a Mason ; and I-am desirous of supplementing the good and generous acts of the Order by giving them : ( if they will accept it ) the Freehold house in perpetuity , for . the use . of , and a residence for an old and needy member of the Lodge . If . you ^ vill be so good as to lay this proposition before the proper authorities you will oblige .

Yours truly , RICHARD EDWARDS . At the next meeting of the Lodge the following minute is recorded : " That the offer of Mr . R . Edwards of a Freehold house in Cavendish Place , Hastings , be accepted with gratitude . "

The necessary legal documents were prepared free of charge , by a legal Brother , and Trustees appointed for the carrying out of the duties appertaining to the Trust . The Trust Deed is particularly restrictive and drawn with great care and ability , reflecting great credit on the draftsman .

On the decease of the donor , the records show that the following resolution was forwarded to the widow :

" That this Lodge , having heard of the death of the late Mr . Richard Edwards , beg . to unite in a vote of sincere condolence with his relatives on their loss . They again desire to express their sense of the deep and lasting debt of gratitude they owe to the memory of the late lamented gentleman , he having during his lifetime given in

trust to the Brethren of the Derwent Lodge a house in the Parish of St . Clements , Hastings , the proceeds of the " rest" to be devoted to the benefit of , or the house to be used as a home by any poor and distressed Brother , or widow of any Brother , of the aforesaid Lodge , who might , need such a refuge as "Edwards ' s rest , " to render the

close of their days happy and comfortable . Mr . Edwards , although not a member of . the Masonic Fraternity , but deeply impressed in its favour through the example ofi his father—rlong one . of the oldest and most respected P . M . ' s of the . Derwent Lodge;—has by this

munificent gift enshrined his memory amongst the Freemasons of Hastings , as having signally exemplified during his lifetime the distinguishing characteristic of every Freemason ' s heart , viz . Charity—the very bond of Peace and of all virtues . "

Such is the history of the Edwards Trust . It is needless to add how great a boon the gift has proved to the Lodge , and witn what appreciation the assistance , to some of our distressed but deserving Brethren , has been welcomed in the hour of need ; happily though , up to the present time ,

no application has been made for the occupation of the " Rest . " It is let to a desirable tenant , and the rent devoted to the cause of charity as requested by the donor , the rights and duties of

the Trust being jealously guarded by the Trustees , who are responsible to the Lodge for the true and trusty carrying out of the donor ' s wishes . I fear the account is unduly long / but the object in view

The Edwards Trust.

in sending you these details of the " Rest" would be lost were the facts not complete . I sincerely trust that the foregoing may be widely read by the Fraternity , and that some of our wealthy Brethren will follow the example so admirably set by a gentleman—truly a Mason at heart , although never

admitted a member of the Order . The Lodge is never m want of funds for the relief of distress among its members , nor a deserving Brother refused substantial assistance from the Trust , when the Trustees have satisfied themselves as to

the bona fide claim on the Charity . Long may such a state of affairs continue ! and many may ' there be among our Order who will follow the noble example of the charitablehearted " Richard Edwards . " !

I shall be delighted to send a rough draft of the Trust Deed , to any Brother desirous of forming a similar Trust in connection with his Lodge , on application . L . J . j . P . M . P . P . D . G . D . C . of Sussex ,

Secretary , No . 40 . 10 Belle Vue , Hastings .

The King And The Craft.

THE KING AND THE CRAFT .

ON Wednesday his Majesty the King held a Court at St . James ' s Palace , at which his Majesty received , on the Throne , a number of deputations and addresses , among them being the Address from the Freemasons of England , which

was presented by a deputation numbering about one hundred Brethren , among them being the Earl Amherst Pro G . M . . the Earl of Warwick Deputy G . M ., Bro . W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., Provincial Grand Master Hants and Isle of Wight , & c .

The deputation was introduced by the M . W . the Grand Master-elect H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught , and in acknowledgment His Majesty the King was pleased to reply as follows :

I am specially pleased to have been able to receive in person the loyal address of sympathy and of dutiful and Fraternal congratulation and goodwill presented to me by so distinguished and representative a deputation of Ancient , Free , and Accepted Masons of England . I have felt much regret at relinquishing the high and

honourable post of Grand Master , which I have held since 1874 , but I shall not cease to retain the same deep interest that I have always felt in Freemasonry , and as Protector of English Freemasons I shall continue to watch over your interests and to rejoice over the prosperity and growth which I anticipate for you in the future .

It is a great satisfaction to me that my brother , the Duke of Connaught , has assumed the post of Grand Master in succession to me , and that your interests are in the hands of one so near to me in blood and united in sympathy with the Fraternity .

Brother R . Hudson Prov . G . Sec . Durham , speaking at a meeting of the Williamson Lodge , No . 949 , said he had been introduced into Freemasonry in 1862 , and had been the W . M . of the Williamson Lodge thirty-one years ago . He

congratulated the two Provinces of Durham and Northumberland on the great strides which Masonry had made during the past twenty years . He trusted those who came after them would also see great strides made , and that it would be esteemed by all with whom they came in contact .

A matinee will be given at the Haymarket Theatre on 30 th April , for the benefit of the funds of the Shipwrecked Mariners' Society , a worthy institution which does much good in relieving the distress of those who have been shipwrecked

on our coast . The- Secretary of the Society is a brother of Mr . Cyril Maude , and both are sons of Captain the Hon . Francis Maude , R . N ., for many years Chairman of the Committee of Management Sir Henry Irving has kindly promised to appear in "A Story of Waterloo . '

* * * It is on the tapis to found an Islington Council Lodge , for the cultivation of Masonry amongst " the " Happy Family at the Town Hall , " Councillors feeling' that way will do

well to attend a meeting at the Cock Hotel , Highbury , on Wednesday next , at 8 . 30 p . m ., when Councillor Grant will be ready to enter the names of founders , says the " Merrie Villager , " in " Islington Gazette . ''

The annual ball of the West Smithfield Lodge , No . 1623 , which was postponed from 30 th January , on account of the death of the Queen , will take place on Wednesday next , 27 th inst , at the Holborn Restaurant . Particulars may be had of the Secretary Brother Hoffmann , 30 and 31 Queen Street , E . C ,