Ar00902

g ^^^^^^^^ SATURDAY , 30 TH APRIL 1892 .

The Grand Festival.

THE GRAND FESTIVAL .

THE Annual Festival of the United Grand Lodge for the installation of a Grand Master for the year , and the appointment and investiture of Officers was held on Wednesday , at Freemasons' Hall . In "the unavoidable absence of the Prince of Wales ( who was

elected Grand Master for the eighteenth year on 2 nd March ) the throne was occupied by the Earl of Lathom , Pro Grand Master , who duly opened the Lodge . Colonel Noel Money , O . B ., acted as Deputy Grand Master ;

Brother Hugh D . Sandeman as Past Grand Master ; Major-General Somerset Calthorpe as Senior Grand Warden , and Admiral Sir E . Inglefield as Junior Grand Warden . The Prince of Wales was declared re-installed

as Grand Master , and was proclaimed as such by Sir Albert W . Woods Grand Director of Ceremonies , who recited his various titles . Tho brethren appointed as Grand Officers for the year were : —

The Earl of Lathom Fro Grand Master The Earl of Mount Edgoamba ... Deputy Grand Master The Dnke of Portland , Senior Warden . The Marquis of Granby , M . P . ... Jnnior Warden . Rev . Sir W . Vincent , Barb . ... " > « . „„ , „ . Rev . H . R . Cooper Smith ... j P la , DB ' J . D . Murray ( Wigan ) Treaanrer . F . A . Philbriok , Q . O Registrar . T . Penn Pres . Board of Gen . Par .

Edward Letohworth Seoretary . Dr . E . E . Wendt ... Seoretary German Corres ., Robert Grey Pres . Board of Benevolence . Major General Crosslaud Hay ... ) 0 . r , S . Gibson Sinclair ( Liverpool ) } Semor Deacons - Charles E . Keyser ( Herts ) •••) T ™ <* , ' A vr ft J \ i Junior Deacons . r . A . Nairne ( London ) J Charles Barrr ... Superintendent of Works .

Sir Albert W . Woods , Garter ... Dir . o ! Cers . G . H . Hopkinson Depaty Dir . of Cera . Dr . H . Strong ... f Assist . Dir . of Cirs . P . W . Coles Sword Bearer . Dep . Inspector-Geu . B . Ninnis ... I , -, , W . P . Brown j Standard Bearers . i

u . uuuer , ^ . u urganist . A . A . Pendlebury .. Assistant Seoretary . S . V . Abraham Pursuivant . T . Minsfcrell Assistant Pursuivant . Honry Sadler Tyler . Eighteen Grand Stewards wero also nominated for tbe

current year . The investiture of the Officers being the only business , the Grand Lodge was closed with the usual ceremony . The banquet took place at the Freemasons ' Tavern j when the Earl of Lathom Pro Grand Master presided ; and the company present , numbering between

200 and 300 , included Lord Valeutia , Lieutenant-General Somerset G . Calthorpe , Major-General J . C . Hay , Sir W . Clarke ( Grand Master of Victoria ) , Admiral Sir G . Inglefield , Kev . Sir William Vincent , F . A . Philbrick , Q . C .,

Lieutenant-General Laurie ( P . G . M . of Nova Scotia ) , Sir John B . Monckton , Lientenant : Colonel A . Saunders ( P . D . M . Madras ) , Sir Albert Woods , Baron de Ferric-res , C . Cutler , Q . C ., & c .

The Right Hon . the Earl of Lathom first gave the Queen and the Craft , and afterwards , in submitting the toast of the M . W . the Grand Master referred to the great loss H . R . H . had sustained by tho death of the Dnke of C / arence , and trusted it would be a loner time before such

a sad day would occur again . H . lt . II . was an enthusiastic Mason , not only has he proved that , but he ( tho speaker ) held iu his hand a letter , wishing cordial greeting to all the brethren . The toast was received with acclamation . Sir Win .

Clark , Grand Master of Victoria , Australia , then proposed the Pro Grand Master , aud said the Grand Master could hardl y have made a better choice ; an opinion which was vociferousl y applauded by the brethren . The Earl of Lathom , in reply , expressed the great pleasure he had in

The Grand Festival.

occupying the chair , as it was the first opportunity he had of doing so since he had been placed in the high position ho had the honour to hold , and to receive the hearty welcome of the brethren . Whon he thought of the marvellous progress Freemasonry had made since he first

joined the Craft , and tho number of Lodges in the kingdom , he could honestly say it was a great Institution . What struck him most when he wont about the country was to find that the tone of the brethren had improved—they

were a better class of men . It was a popnlar belief that Masonry was a charitable , not a benevolent institution , but it was not so . When he thought of the enormous sums that were subscribed for the Masonio Charities he devoutly

wished that the funds might find their way into proper hands , and not into those who made Freemasonry a business . He was happy to say that there was a decided decrease in the claims brought before tbe Board of Benevolence , and

he could only account for this that the various Lodges were more careful in selecting candidates for admission into Freemasonry , and sincerely hoped that the practice would largely obtain in future . He earnestly trusted that the Craft would flourish and be an honour to the country .

Bro . Sir John B . Monckton who had just returned from the Riviera , and looked in good health , proposed the Grand Officers , to which Bro . Sir Wm . Vincent , Bart ., Grand Chaplain responded . He regretted the absence of the two Grand Wardens , which no doubt was due to

unavoidable causes . It was important that the Grand Master should have the support of those who devote heart and mind to the Craft , and trusted that the work of the Grand Lodge would be efficiently conducted during the coming year . Colonel ICoel Money P . G . M . Surrey

proposed the Visitors , to which Bro . Sir William Clark G . M . of Victoria felicitously responded . The Rev . C . J . Martyn Depaty P . G . M . Suffolk proposed

the Masonic Charities , and referred to the enormous sum of £ 62 , 000 recently collected for the Benevolent Institution . " Where will you find another charity that does so much good ? " asked Bro . Martyn ; and the Craft can proudly

re-echo—Where ? Bro . Hedges Seoretary of the Girls ' School responded , and expressed the grateful thanks of tho various Charities for the support given to them . He

stated that H . R . H . the Duke of Connanght would preside at the 104 th Anniversary Festival of the Girls' School , next mouth , and hoped that the list of Stewards would be worthy of the occasion .

Admiral Sir Edward Inglefield , in a humorous speech , proposed the Grand Stewards , whoBe guests the brethren wero that evening , which waa acknowledged by Bro . Dr . C . Godson President of the Board of Grand Stewards , who stated they had spared no effort to make the Festival

a success . Bro . Rev . R . Cooper-Smith briefly proposed the Ladies , who had graced the banquet by their presence , and who , now impatiently awaited them in tho concert room .

Bro . Philip H . Waterlow , President of the Ladies Committee , acknowledged the toast , and said the best way of honouring the ladies was to rejoin them . This was accordingly done , and a very pleasant entertainment was then gone through .

Bro . F . A . Lewis has been installed as W . M . of the Skelmersdale Lodge , meeting at the Ship and Turtle , Leadenhall Street . The Officers appointed for the year are : —Bros . J . Adams S . W ., H . F . Knee J . W ., G . J .

Woodman P . M . Treasurer , G . Laker P . M . Secretary , W . Howes S . D ., E . J . Wickenden J . D ., S . Pirkin I . G ., G . M . Thompson P . M . D . C , J . P . W . Goodwin Organist , and Rawles Tyler .

A Master at his installation is required to " admit that no person can be rogulurly made a Mason , or admitted a Mason of any Lodge , without previous notice , and due inquiry into his character . " Yet in a Lodge in a conntry district not mauy miles from G / asgow tho Master of the Lodge tried to " rush " a candidate even in opposition to tho expressed wish of the Lodge . The petitioner was going abroad , and wished to bo made an M . M . within four days . Tho

Master insisted that he shonid be " made , " but the Lodge said nay , arguing that i : a niau thought so little of Freemasonry that he only sought it wheu it wns likely to do him some good in a new country he was not a desirable candidate . Even the sufficient number of black balls to reject was not accepted as proof thut the Master was in error , and tbe ballot was taken three times , with tho same result . Tbis wai giving a chack to tho " rushing Bystoui" in a very gratifying way . I hope other Lodges will take the hint . —The Mallet .