Centenary: Royal, No. 207.

CENTENARY : ROYAL , No . 207 .

THE members of the Eoyal Lodge , No . 207 , Kingston , Jamaica , celebrated their Centenary on Monday , 14 th May . The home of the Lodge , Sussex Hall , was considered by the Centenary Committee as too small to afford the accommodation thafc was necessary , and dispensation was obtained from the District Grand Master ,

to hold an extraordinary celebration meeting at the Collegiate Hall . The Committee expended great efforts in transforming the spacious , though empty hall , into a fitting home in which to exercise the rites of Freemasonry . The Lodge was duly opened and the beautiful ode

" Wisdom , Strength and Beauty , " by Brother Young , was chanted by the Brethren . The representatives of the District Grand Lodge , Provincial Grand Lodge of Scotland , and Brother Sir H . A . Blake ( Governor of Jamaica ) were announced and received .

Prominent in the centre of the room was Bro . E . X . Leon P . D . S . G . W . Chairman of Centenary Committee , and who with Bro . G . M . Duff P . D . S . G . W . the Senior Past Master of the Eoyal Lodge present , and a number

of fche Centenary Committee , performed the arduous duties of Directors of Ceremonies and Stewards . Down the aisle the members of the Eoyal Lodge were seated according to their rank .

The District Grand Master presented the Lodge with fche Centenary Warrant from the Grand Lodge of England , which was read by Bro . F . G . Sale . In presenting the Warrant , Bro . J . 0 . MacGlashan said ifc was one of those uncommon occasions fchat

occurred very seldom once in a lifetime , especially in a small community like theirs . He could not hope to again occupy the position and have the opportunity of presenting a second Centenary Warrant . He , however , congratulated the Lodge on having attained the eminent

position and he trusted that the spirit that emulated the present Brethren would inspire their successors , who would live to see the celebration of another such event . He partook of fche pleasure of fche members afc the present

moment , and as fcheir spokesman was glad to be able fco welcome as a member of the Craffc the Governer of the Island . Ifc was perhaps a curious coincidence that the Lodge was registered under the Irish Constitution and the first Provincial Grand Master was a Blake .

Bro . I . Cox , on receiving fche Warrant , said ifc would be a valuable heirloom to the Lodge . He trusted it would be regarded with the same zeal with which fche members had regarded the Lodge during the pasfc 100 years , and

that when his administration ceased he would hand the Warrant to his successor , who would hand it to his successor as pure and unsullied as ifc had been handed to them that evening .

Too much credit cannot be given to the members of the Centenary Committee , and especially to Bro . E . X . Leon , for the careful and accurate manner in which the history of the Lodge had been complied . Brother Leon

( Chairmam of fche Committee ) handed fche document fco Bro . G . Duff , who read ifc ( the narration receiving the closest attention from the Brethren ) . We take the following short extracts from the pamphlet , which will be of interest :

Ifc was at an interesting period of thc world ' s history , and particularly in the history of this Colony one of turmoil , darkness and difficulty , that tho Royal Lodge came into existence . Freemasonry itself was experiencing many vicissitudes . The " schism " in England had nofc yet been healed ; and while ifc was

admitted by one of the adverse writers of the day that Freemasonry " retained in Britian its original form , simple and unadorned , and thc Lodges the scenes of incessant merriment or meetings of Charity and Benevolence , " it was charged that " tho Freemasonry of the Continent was perverted to improper uses . "

The agitation in England for the abolition of the Slave Trade was producing distrust and alarm among the landowners of the West Indies , and nowhere was the effect more seriously felt than in Jamaica . It was during this exciting period that the Royal Lodge came into existence . A good foundation was laid , and

through good report and evil report , which characterised the times , the Brethren held together , and steadily worked from time to time , handing down the Warrant to their successors in an unbroken chain , amidst the exciting and eventful changes through which thc colony passed , attaining at last the honoured record of a century .

Thus , while surrounding Institutions , propped lip by wealth and power , have crumbled and passed away , the Royal Lodge has , under the guidance of that Light which is from above , glided along thc stream of time until it has reached a haven of Masonic glory , venerable with age , yet without a wrinkle on its brow , and never more prosperous than it is now .

New Temple At Kelvedon.

NEW TEMPLE AT KELVEDON .

ON the 14 th a large gathering of Freemasons took place afc Kelvedon for the laying of the foundation stone of a temple which is in course of erection for the Easterford Lodge , through fche munificence of Sir William Abdy , Bart ., the Worshipful Master . The site of fche

temple is near fche new Infants' School Eoom in High Street . The building is designed fco be an imposing structure , and will cost , with fche Masonic furniture and fittings , about £ 2 , 000 . There are to be an entrance porch ,

hall , vestibule , reception room , Lodge room , Dining Hall , and kitchen apartments . The plans of the building , which is to be of red brick , were prepared by the late Mr . Alan Stewart , of Maidon , but have undergone some

alterations afc fche hands of Mr . F . Whifcmore , of Chelmsford . Mr . S . Thorne , of Messing , is the builder , and the stone work is being done by Mr . L . J . Watts , of Colchester . The members of Easterford Lodge present were Bros .

Sir Win . Abdy W . M ., C . T . Thorn S . W ., E . Galpin J . W ., the Eev . T . Lloyd Chaplain , W . W . Mead Sec , J . H . Salter Treas ., W . Siggers Asst . Sec , J . W . Moss S . D ., G . A . Eustace J . D ., A . Livermore D . C ., S . J . King I . G ., H . S . King Orgfc ., H . Ledger and J . Wakelin Stewards ,

J . Initer Tyler . Lodge was opened at the Angel Hotel , afc 11 a . m . when Mr . Money Wigram , M . P ., was initiated into fche mysteries of Freemasonry . Subsequently a procession

was formed and marched to the site of the temple . The entrance fco fche site was adorned wifch an arch of evergreens , on which were the words , " All honour to Him who doth our temple rear . " A large company , among whom were a number of

ladies , had assembled at the site . The Worshipful Masfcer gave the address used on such occasions , after which the Eev . T . Lloyd offered prayer . Afc the call of fche W . M ., Bro Balling read the inscription on the stone , which was as follows : — This stone was laid by W . Bro . SIR WILLIAM ABDY , Barfc ., Worshipful Masfcer Easterford Lodge , No . 2342 , June 14 th , A . L . 5894 , A . D . 1894 . The Treasurer then deposited the phial containing

coins , & c , in the cavity , after which fche Junior Deacon presented a trowel to the W . M ., who proceeded to lay the stone wifch the usual formula . Afc fche close oi fche ceremony the Old Hundredth hymn was sung . Bro . F ; Spalding , of Chelmsford , photographed the assembly , and then the procession , in inverted order , returned to fche Lodge room . A banquet followed .

The annual meeting of fche Provincial Grand Lodge of Kent will be held on Wednesday , 4 fch July , afc the Chapter House , Canterbury Cathedral .

o o o The annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of Middlesex will be held on Thursday , 19 th prox ., at the London Tavern , Mark Lane .

The Provincial Grand Lodge will be opened afc 6 p . m ., and the business will include the election of a Treasurer for fche ensuing year , the reception of reports from the Lodges and from the Treasurer , and the appointment of Provincial Grand Officers . A banquet will follow .

o o o Ifc may not be known , says " The Mallet , " in " Glasgow Evening News , " that Bro . Sheridan Knowles was a P . M . of St . Mark . In this connection our

contemporary makes the following extract from the minutes of the annual festival held on 12 th May 1853 : " During the evening the Brethren enjoyed fche rare privilege of listening to the eloquence of Bro . Sheridan

Knowles , a person well known throughout the world as the greatest living dramatist , and who , as he himself mentioned , was at one time E . W . M . of St . Mark's Lodge ,

and the heartfelt and feeling manner m which this worthy man and Brother spoke of the kindnesses he had on more than one occasion received from Brethren who do honour to this city , and their kind , was truly edifying . "