The New Century.

The Earl of Malmesbury , in response , said that of course they could not expect him to say very much about the ceremony , having only just joined , but he would mention that when he was first at Oxford some years ago , he was almost on the point of becoming a candidate , but on

consideration he decided to wait . In looking back now , he felt that he had acted wisely . At the same time , now that he had become a member he felt that he had joined not a day too soon and he would endeavour to maintain the principles of the

Craft and become a worthy Brother . The Tyler ' s toast concluded the speeches . The collection at the banquet amounted to £ 4 7 s 6 d making a total of £ 31 15 s 6 d for the hospitals duing the day — " Bournemouth Guardian . "

BANQUET AT PORTSMOUTH . AT the Town Hall , Portsmouth , on Tuesday evening , 15 th inst ., there was an assembly of over two hundred Brethren of Portsmouth and the neighbourhood , under the presidency of the Right lion . W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., Prov .

Grand Master of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight , to commemorate the opening of the twentieth century . Satisfactory arangements for the event were carried out by a Committee , of whom Bro . G . W . Edmonds was the Hon . Sec , but the attendance was not so large as might have been

expected . An excellent repast ( provided by Bro . Butler , of Southsea ) was thoroughly enjoyed . The menu card will be prized as an interesting souvenir of the historic occasion . On the front was a statement of the object of the gathering , and on the back a representation of the Masonic Hall , Highbury

Street , Portsmouth . Inside the covers , surrounding the toast list and the concert programme were the coats of arms of all the Lodges in the district , with the names of all the present W . Ms , underneath , printed in gold , the remaining portion being in blue . Enclosed in the covers was a twenty

page book , containing the programme of music played during the banquet by the band of the R . M . A ., under the conductorship of Bro . T . Plolding ; a historical sketch of " Freemasonry in Portsmouth in the XIX Century , " compiled by Bro . G . F . Lancaster P . M . 903 ; a roll of Craft Lodges working and

constituted in Portsmouth and the neighbourhood during the Century , with list of Founders , & c . Long before the banquet was concluded the galleries were thrown open to ladies , and speedily became crowded b y the wives and friends of the diners , who were able to enjoy the music discoursed by the band .

Shortly after seven o ' clock the Prov . Grand Master , accompanied by a number of Prov . Grand Lodge Officers , entered the hall , and took their places at the top table . The

banquet was followed by a short toast list and a concert . Craft collars and jewels were worn , the banners of various Lodges were hung in different parts of the Hall , and the scene was a very interesting one .

The first toast , the Prov . G . M . said , was at once Masonic and Loyal- —none the less loyal because it was Masonic , and none the less Masonic because it was loyal—The Queen and the Craft . Might the Queen , in spite of the many trials she had had to undergo , and the many losses she had sustained ,

be spared to reign over the country for many a day . The toast was cordially drunk , followed by the singing of the National Anthem , with' organ accompaniment by Bro . H . R . Pink , J . P . ( ex-Mayor ) .

Bro . Edgar Goble Dep . Prov . Grand Master proposed the Most Worshipful Grand Master of England . That night their thoughts went back to the year 1800 , and they wondered who was their Grand Master at that period ; who was carrying out the duties of that high and important office . He

was happy to say it was the Prince of Wales—Prince George of Wales . Thus they had two Princes both of the blood Royal , reigning over them when the centuries ( 1801 and 1901 ) commenced . From the year 1782 to 1844 , without one exception , they had reigning over them one of the family of

the Royal Sovereign . From 1844 unt ^ J 8 / o they had as Grand Master Earl Zetland , and from 1870 to 1874 they had the honour and pleasure of reigning over them the Marquis of Ripon . In 1874 , to their great delight , the present Grand Master the Prince of Wales was elected , and he had been

their ruler from that time to the present . Prince George of Wales ruled over them for twenty-three years , and their own Prince of Wales had been ruling over them for twenty-seven years . Might he long continue to be their ruler , because H . R . H . had added not onl y to the lustre , but to the power

The New Century.

which Masonry now possessed throughout the whole of the world , and he was respected and loved , not only by Masons , but by all who were under the Queen in our immense Empire .

It was not for him to make a eulogistic speech on the Prince of Wales , he would simply mention the old adage , " Why praise ? Who has ever blamed ? " The toast was cordially drunk .

The Chairman then said they now came to the more immediate purport of their meeting together that night . They were there in the first place to celebrate the existence of their Order , and the progress it had made during the centuries past . The advent of a new century led them to think upon

the great and remote antiquity of Freemasonry . No trace could be found of its first commencement , but they knew in many remote days the Order was handed down from generation to generation . In every country or land Freemasonry existed , and flourished , and its customs and secrets

were handed down unimpaired . It was one of the most surprising characteristics of the Order how Masonry was transmitted in different parts of the world from one nation to another . It might have been more powerful at one time than another . They knew very well that in England it had

existed for over eight centuries , during which period it had made great progress , thanks to the admirable way in which their ancestors transacted the business of the Order , and carried out its principles . It was not for him , at the present moment , to dilate upon the excellencies of their Institution ,

but he might remark that those who had carried out to the full the noble principles of benevolence and virtue , on which it was founded , would have done a great deal in their generation . That they had done all that could be expected of them it would be too much to say , but they might point to the

grand Charitable Institutions of the Order to show Freemasons had not been unmindful of their duties . Those great Institutions , which were such noble examples of the benevolence of the Craft , showed the Charitable instincts which the Brothers exhibited . Not only were there homes and

schools for boys and girls , but also an asylum for old Freemasons and Widows , should they be unavoidably driven to the necessity of seeking its shelter . Those Institutions were proofs that Freemasonry had done a great work in the country . They had every reason to congratulate themselves

upon the progress of Freemasonry in that populous portion of the Province . There were no less than eighteen Lodges in that locality , and from the ample opportunities he had had of judging and gauging the merits of the various Brothers who had held office , they had done their best to sustain the

credit of the Order , to add influence and lustre to the Craft in their locality , Province , and country . It was , therefore , with the greatest pleasure that he had been enabled to attend there , and preside over them . He hoped that for many a day and year to come , Freemasonry in Portsmouth might obtain

the same credit in the Province and country which it had done in former years . In the advent of a new century they must be reminded of the efflux of time . Time runs its ceaseless Course . Freemasons come and go . . Many warm

Freemasons had passed away . They mourned their loss , but they welcomed those who were coming on , and hoped they would emulate their example , and do their best to act as worthy members of the Craft . He had much pleasure in proposing the toast .

Bro . T . A . Bramsdon , who was called upon to respond , said they in Portsmouth heartily appreciated the manner in which the Prov . G . M . had proposed the toast . They were entering upon a new century , and they could not help casting their minds back upon the great impetus given to Masonry

during the past century . The Chairman had referred to the great antiquity of Freemasonry . They had in Portsmouth an unique instance in connection with its antiquity . In his Lodge Room there were four bodies meeting—the Phoenix , the oldest Lodge in the Province , the Chapter of Friendship ,

the Mark Lodge , and the Knights Templar—all over a century old . In no other part of the world did there exist four such institutions , meeting together under one roof . In Portsmouth they had a large number of Lodges , which were attended by naval and military men , who went abroad ,

carried with them the tenets and principles of Freemasonry , and promulgated them throughout different parts of the universe . Under the happy regime of their Prov . G . M . the

number of Lodges in the Province had exactl y doubled . There were applications for an increase even of those numbers , but Bro . Beach held the view that it was not numbers they wanted , but quality . That view had always been held