United Pilgrims Lodge, No. 507.

dered'to the Lodge during his year of office . These services were alluded to in felicitous terms , and the sentiments expressed by the Worshipful Master were heartily endorsed by the whole of the brethren . The jewel was a massive and elegant one , and bore tbe following inscription : — "United Pilgrims Lodge , No . 507 . Presented to Bro . Charles W . Peters , in appreciation of his services as Wor .

shipful Master , 1882-3 . Bro . Peters , in acknowledging the compliment paid him , expressed the interest he had always taken in the affairs of the United Pilgrims Lodge , and promised it his undivided attention in the future . After the transaction of some other business , Lodge was closed in form , and the brethren adjourned to a sumptuous banquet , which was served in a manner which reflected the highest

credit on Messrs . Roberts , the proprietors of the hotel , and their staff . At the conclusion of the repast , the customary Loyal and Masonio toasts were given from the ohair and duly honoured , the name of Bro . Magnns Ohren being coupled with that of the Officers of Grand Lodge . Bro . Magnus Ohren , in responding , said it was a great honour for any Mason to be called upon to respond to this toast , because he

himself must wear the purple ; and it afforded him great pleasnre to hear the manner in which the names of the Grand Officers were always received . But he was not at all surprised at this on the present occasion , when he looked around him and saw so many who were in the habit of attending Grand Lodge . There they saw how the Officers did their duty , and the two noblemen at the head of the

Craft , the Earl of Carnarvon and the Earl of Lathom , whenever they were present , conduoted the business in a manner whioh must give satisfaction to every one . The Officers who attended Grand Lodge , and worked on the Committees gave a great deal of time to the work , and their duties were most faithfully and zealously performed . They would all be pleased to see the Most Worshipful

Grand Master a little oftener , but they must recolleot how fully his Royal Highness ' s time was occupied , and that the days for the meeting of Grand Lodge were fixed . If they were moveable days , the Prince of Wales might be enabled to attend oftener than he does ; still , they all knew he paid the most earnest attention to his Masonio duties . The Grand Seoretaiy was constantly with him , and His

Royal Highness knew everything that was done ; the Grand Officers were selected by him , and his heart was entirely in Freemasonry . He again thanked them for the manner in whioh the toast had been received . The Immediate Past Master observed that one of the most important toasts before them that evening was the health of their Worshipful Master . They all knew his excellent disposition and

kindness of heart , and no one could have met him in this Lodge without admitting that in Bro . Joyce he had found a friend . He did not know what would have become of the United Pilgrims Lodge but for the brother who had been so unanimously chosen as its Worshipfnl Master , for three-fourths of its members were his own personal friends , whom he had brought into the Lodge , and he only hoped

they would persevere until they reached the high and dignified position that he had attained to-day . He felt very proud , indeed , at having to stand there to propose the health of Bro . Joyce , in whom he had taken a deep interest from the moment he came into the Lodge , and in whom he was very glad to find so worthy and apt a pupil . His genial and kindly manner , and disposition to make things

pleasant all round , him had been felt and acknowledged in this Lodsre , and in the presence of so many Visitors as they had to-night , he had very great pleasure in testifying to the true worth of their excellent Worshipfnl Master , who was deserving the highest honours the brethren could possibly bestow upon him . He asked the brethren to drink to the toast with all the heartiness it deserved , and with all

the sincerity he knew they felt towards not only a brother Mason but also a true and intimate friend . Bro . Joyce endeavoured most successfully to carry out in practice all the tenets inoulcated in Freemasonry , and his sole aim was to make everything pleasant , and to unite men in the grand design of rendering each other happy . Might he live long to come amongst them , and to aid them in carrying out

that grand design of making each other happy and in promoting the true welfare of the Craft in general , and of the United Pilgrims Lodge in particular . So mote it be . Bro . Joyce , who was received with the utmost cordiality on rising to respond , said he thanked the brethren most earnestly for the cordiality with which the toast of his health had been received . He could only say that although he had

great pleasnre in being amongst them that evening , there was a certain tinge of sadness about it . He recollected that it was only some three or four years ago when he was initiated ; when two of his most distinguished Visitors to-night were present , and when he occupied the position of his brother now on his immediate right , he said , in responding to the toast of the Initiates , when a " printer's

devil' in a small conntry town , very many years ago , it fell to his lot to print a notice of the Shakspeare Lodge , held in that looality ; and he thought to himself , though only a " printer ' s devil , " he shonld like some day to be a Mason . That was his ambition , and on the night to which he referred , he told the brethren that ambition had been realised ; but since then he had another ambition , and that was to be

a Mason as good as any of those present . There ho must stay , for the idea was not yet quite realised , though he hoped it was to some extent , for he had gone as far as he could expect to do , at least for some years . There was , as he had said , a certain tinge of sadness , that he had got almost to the apex of his ambition . But he should not allow that sadness to affect in any way his future

interest in Masonic duties . He felt he must quarrel with his excellent Immediate Past Master , who said three-fourths of the members of the United Pilgrim Lodge were his friends , and ho trusted they might always remain on the same terms of amity and goodwill as they were on at present . It should be his endeavour to produce that effect , and if he failed in it once he should , as is tho

song they had just heard , " try again . " If anything in life was worth doing at all , it was worth doing well , and it was a laudabln ambition on the part of all Masons to try and reach the top of tbo tree . He thanked them , first of all for placing him in tho honourablo position he now occupied , and he felt it a great privilege and compliment , because ho know there were many of his friends who had

been members of the Lodge longer than he had been , and yet had not attained that position . It was an honourablo distinction , and ono which he most thoroughly appreciated . It would be his most earnest dasire , daring his year of office , to justify the choice they had made , and he hoped that at this time next year , when it wonld be his turn to take the seat now occupied by his friend the I . P . M .,

ho might be equally entitled to their satisfaction and their esteem for the manner in which he should havo discharged the duties entrusted to him dnriug his year of office . The W . M . next proposed the health of the Initiate , in whose presence he would not say so muoh as he shonld have been tempted to do otherwise . Ho could only say that Bro . Sharman was another friend of his . They

had often heard Masters say they could generally judge of a Mason when he was initiated , and whether they were likely to turn out good men and true . From the interest he took in the ceremony , he felt perfectly certain that Bro . Sharman would prove a student and an excellent member of the Fraternity . If Bro . Sharman should ever reach the proud position of being Master of his Lodge , might

he be there to give him a hearty welcome . Bro . C . H . Sharman , in responding , said that one of the greatest secrets in Masonry , so far as he was concerned , was in being asked to respond to a toast . He had for a long time past experienced a craving and longing to associate himself with this Antient and Honourable Institution , but up to now circumstances had prevented him . At the present

moment he felt very muoh like Alice in " Wonderland , " nervous , timid and surprised , and could only half grasp the beauties of a system whioh he hoped he might more thoroughly understand in the future . He felt he had got one foot , however , over the stile , and hoped he might have the opportunity of reaching some of the higher offices in due coarse . His heart was already in the work , and

he should endeavour faithfully to carry out the solemn obligations he had that night undertaken . The W . M . then proposed the health of the Immediate Past Master , whose excellencies of charaoter he could roll into a few words . He was a good Christian man and a good Mason , which was all that need be said of a true Brother and a gentleman . The I . P . M . felt very proud on this auspicious

occasion , for he had now arrived safely in the " Upper House , " amongst the Past Masters , who had guided and regulated affairs for many years . He should be happy to co-operate with them in the solution of problems that were frequently cropping np , and assist in every possible way in advancing the true interests of the Lodge . He thanked their excellent W . M . for the few kind and conoise words he

had so kindly spoken , and the Officers of the Lodge generally for the valuable support and assistance they had accorded him during his year of office . He scarcely knew what he should have done , or how he could have got through the business of the year , without the generous aid and co-operation of the Past Masters , especially their excellent Treasurer and Secretary , and Brothers Watts and

Terry , to whom the praise bestowed upon himself was greatly due . He was much obliged for the creditable report they had made upon the way in whioh he had conduoted himself in the ohair during the past year . He assured them he took that ohair with the best intentions , and he now resigned it into abler hands , though oertainly not more willing ones . He wanted to see the

Lodge grow ancl prosper , as it had done lately , and he hoped it would not only become efficient , bnt well known throughout the Craft for its support of the Charities . That was one of the great essentials of success . He hoped they wonld ever bear in mind the sentiments contained in the recitation just given by Bro . P . M . Stevens , on "The Level and the Square , " ancl if they did so , they would retire from the

Lodge with a clear conscience , and be much better for having exerted their utmost to promote the true interests and objects of Freemasonry . The W . M . then proposed the health of the Visitors , and in doing so was pleased to meet many old and distinguished Masons as guests that evening , and not le 3 s so to welcome those of the rank and file , who , by promulgating the tenets of Freemasonry , were equally

eminent with those who wore the purple . He believed it was incumbent upon Masters to visit other Lodges , and to entertain visitors , and but for unfortunate illness in his family , he hoped to have had the company of the Worshipful Master of his mother Lodge on this occa . sion . It might appear somewhat strange that he should now be the Master of the Lodge of his adoption , bnt they oould not control all

the circumstances of their lives , though they must be guided by them to a very great extent . It had been his lot to throw himself into their Lodge to the exclusion of his mother Lodge ; but , somehow , though he might go into many Lodges , he should never lose his lore and affection for that in which he was initiated . There were P . M . ' s here whom he had had the pleasure of meeting in a place to whioh

he was indebted considerably—the Lodge of Instruction—amongBt whom he might mention Bro . Sorrell , whilst in Bro . Stevens they had a great authority in The Great City Lodge , and in many others on both sides of the water . He alluded to the common bond of unity which bound brethren together in the practice of good deeds , and said many of the brethren who had not yet passed the chair were as

exemplary in carrying out the principles of Freemasonry as those who wore the purple , and who dispensed what Charity they could without ostentation , and often without any ono knowing about it . He hoped he had given tho Visitors a hearty welcome , and the same would be extended to them whenever in the future they might pay a visit to the United Pilgrims Lodge . Bro . W . G . Lemon , in responding ,

said when Bro . Joyco came into the Savensbourue Lodge , he thonght he had in him the making of a thorough Mason . He had not the pleasure of initiating their excellent W . M ., but he had of receiving his first subscription , and Bro . Joyce would have a lively recollection of the part he played at the initiatory ceremony . He was very pleased to havo had the opportunity of being present to witness his

installation , aud rejoiced that he had been able to avail himself of the invitation . Ho was delig hted with the working in Lodge , and with —what was something nnnsnal with a W . M ., immediately on being appointed to the chair—his proceeding at once to initiate a brother , and to perform the work at a moment when he might reasonably be allowed to enjoy a little relaxation . But Bro . Joyce was so omnivorous