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  • May 2, 1896
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  • CONCERNING FESTIVALS.
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

Freemasonry During The Grand Mastership Of H.R.H. The Fringe Of Wales.

¦ nurse of the two following years the Duke of CONNA . GUT was •stalled , firstly , Prov . G . M . of Sussex by the Prince in person , , ' l in 1887 , as Dist . G . M of Bombay ; while in the latter year I i < re was for the second lime a brilliant gathering of thebrethren •' , 0 Royal Albert Hall , the purpose being to vote an address

^ of congratulation to the QUEEN on the completion of the Jubilee vear of her reign . The Prince presided , ancl there were present over 6000 brethren , each of whom paid a guinea for his ticket af admission , while the proceeds of the sale of tickets , amount-* i-r in all to £ 6321 , was divided equally among the three

Insti-, tutions . About the same time , ancl in honour of the same event . Grand Lodge itself voted grants of £ 2000 each to the same Charities ; ancl , as in 1887 , the Grand Master laid the foundationstone of the New Hospital , Great Yarmouth , and his son that of thc Jubilee Wing of the Northampton Infirmary , we may regard

lhat year as being only less memorable in our annals than that of his installation . In 1888 , Grand Lodge voted a sum of £ 500 for the purpose of presenting some gift to the Princess of WALES on the occasion of the silver wedding of the Grand Master and ] , or Royal Highness , and , as soon as the present had been

selected , a deputation from Grand Lodge waited upon the Prince and Princess at Marlborough House , and presented them with ll , e address of congratulation , which Grand Lodge had voted by acclamation , on the auspicious anniversary , and the Princess with a diamond butterfly . In 1890 , the late Duke of CLARENCE

AND AVONDALE was installed as Prov . G . M . of Berkshire by his father , while since then the latter has done two newly-warranted lodges—the Chancery Bar and the Rahere—the very great honour of attending their consecration , and personally constituting them as lodges . But the events of his 21 years' reign are

so familiar , so fresh in the recollection of our readers , that we need not dwell upon them more particularly . We shall , therefore , content ourselves with adding a few words , wilh a view to showing that , though , as was to be expected , it is English Masonry which has most largely benefited by having the Heir

to the Throne for its Grand Master , the Craft in the other parts of the United Kingdom , with which , it must be remembered , he is connected as Patron , as well as throughout the British Empire generally , owes no insignificant portion of its progress during later years to his connection with the Society . Under

the Grand Lodge of Scotland , of which the Prince is Patron , the number of lodges has been increased from 543 lo 827 , and , though , as in thc jurisdiction of England , there are many of these

newly-created lodges , as well as many of earlier date , which have severed their connection with their parent Grand Lodge , the majority of them still exist , but under other Constitutions . As

lor brand Lodge itself , its position is vastly stronger now than it was in the later " seventies , " when Bro . D . MURRAY LYON , the great historian of Scottish Freemasonry had not yet been appointed its G . Secretarv . and its affairswhich had been

, terribl y mismanaged , were in a state of confusion . Now the Grantl Lodge is in a condition of marvellous prosperity , both as regards its finances , ancl the manner in which the duties of its lodges are carried out , while its Fund of Benevolence is on a

stable basis , and is admirably administered . In Ireland , the Grand Lodge , of which also the Prince is Patron , has likewise prospered during the G . Masterships of the past and present Dukes of Abercorn , but from the manner in which its lodges are ¦•umbered , it is difficult to estimate wilh any approach lo ¦ ui

u -ucy , the extent ot its progress . We know it has increased , and very materially , as is shown by the well-maintained popularity of . hs Masonic Orphan School Fetes in Dublin , and the brilliant success which attended the celebration of its Girls ' ¦ Vhool Centenary , in 1802 . Under the Canadian Constitution

'ere have been warranted during this period fully 100 lodges , "bile the independent Australasian Grand Lodges , which have recentl y been established , and of which the Prince is Patron , are , '_ UISe firmly set , and becoming slowly but surely stronger

ulb numericall y and in other respects . May the same prosperity attend Freemasonry throughout the British -mpire which has been ils lot during thc presidency of his Uiyal lli glmcss over nlc Grand Lodge of England !

Concerning Festivals.

CONCERNING FESTIVALS .

ref- 1 aimonises wc " ' ' 1 , ie eterna - I'tness of things that \ v | , v ' cnt should follow labour , nor see wc any valid reason j Q | l " ' n > "'ho happen to be Masons ancl meet as such pcriod-11 ' ••' ' uld not dine or sup together when they have performed

'iiic" ¦ . - cs " True these Masonic dinners and bansi « tj S <; IU ' ' U * a considerable amount of after-dinner oratory , conlnii .. f *' M rt ' y of m '' d platitudes , in part of venerable witticisms ,

¦ ¦ "ulev- £ ravc exchanges of mutual laudation wilh each co nstj t ' !* v ° ^ 0 l "' fellow-guests . But after-dinner speech-making lrar •[ , no greaf sin against religion or morality ; on the con-•' hel ps to promote good-fellowship . You cannot think

Concerning Festivals.

unkindly of a Mason who reciprocates the compliments you pay him , nor will he regard you with an evil eye for paying him those compliments . Moreover , good-fellowship helps us a long way on the road towards being kind and charitable to those we ' mcet , and as it is one of the chief objects to promote charity , wc * are

glad the ancient custom remains in force , by which thc members of our lodges partake of refreshment together when the business portion of their proceedings is ended . VVe dare say the custom

prevailed in the ' time immemorial' days about which we occasionally read , and it is more than probable that had there been a local press in existence in the middle of the 17 th century , some diligent Masonic student would Ions * since have unearthed a

report of the memorable meeting in Warrington , at which ELIAS ASHMOLE and Col . MAINWARING were initiated into the mysteries ancl privileges of Masonry . In all probability we should have learned that in the course of thc after-lodge proceedings , the Master proposeel the health of " The Initiates , " ancl

that firstl y Bro . ASHMOLE and then Bro . MAINWARING , in responding for the toast , expressed their thanks for the honour the lodge had done them in accepting them as members , and the hope that their future conduct would " justify thc confidence which the brethren had reposed in them . At all events , if we cannot

speak with certainty of what happened in Masonry at this epoch , we have it on record that in the very earliest days of Speculative Masonry refreshment was almost a part of the regular business of our lodge meetings , and that on grand occasions it assumed the character of a Festival . Especially was this the case at the

installation of a new Grand Master , when not only was there a Grand Feast , but likewise a grand procession of the brethren through the streets to one of the City Companies' Halls or a noted hostelry , where , after an elegant repast had been partaken of , the toasts proper to the occasion were dulv honoured .

But about the year 1 745 , in consequence of sundry irreverent people having made fun of these processions , and having in more than one case started mock processions of their own as a burlesque on the true Masons , the outdoor display was dropped altogether , though when the "Ancients" began to find

themselves more firmly established they revived the old custom of inarching in procession in their full regalia , and after attending Divine service in some church which had been selected , returning to their quarters and spending the rest of the day in quiet conviviality . But the "Ancient" Feast and procession was held

on or about St . John the Baptist ' s Day ( 24 th June ) , while thc installation of the Grand Master for the ensuing year and the investiture of his Grand Officers took place on or about St . John the Evangelist ' s Day ( the 27 II 1 December ) . Thus as regards the summer fetes we read in the minutes of the 24 th June , 1766 , that

" No Grand Lodge open'd on this day , but the Fraternity by permission of the Grand Officers met at the Angel in While Chapell , and from thence walked in procession to Stepney Church where an Excellent Sermon founded on the General Regulations of the Craft and upon a suitable Text was preach'd by the Rev .

Mr . Parker Rowlands our most worth y Brother . After the Sermon the Fraternity amounting to a vast number with three bands of Musick & c . walked in like manner to the Angel aforesaid where they separated & each Lodge went to dine at the Houses where held . " The following year the Feast on St . John

the Baptist ' s Day was organised on a more elaborate scale . An emergent meeting of Grand Lodge was summoned on the / 2 U 1 June , 17 6 7 , at which the Grand Master , Bro . the Hon THOS . MATHEW , presided in person , when it was resolved that a sermon should be preached " in the nearest ( or most convenient )

Church to the five Bells Tavern in the Strand , and that a suitable dinner shall be provided in such Tavern According to Ancient Custom . " Moreover , " the following Brethren were proposed and appointed Stewards for the said feast , viz ., William Dickey , Junr ., Bror . Llewelyn , Bror . Davy , and

Bror . James Mann , with liberty to choose two more on St . John ' s Day next . " Accordingly on the said St . John ' s Day , the Deputy Grand Master , Grand Wardens , and a great number of the officers and Members of private Lodges went to St . Clement ' s Church ,

where they heard an excellent sermon preached by the Rev . PARKER ROWLANDS , the prayers being read by the " Rev . Bro . WYCHE , after which the brethren returned to the Grand Lodge room and dined " in form . " In the course of the proceedings a letter was read from the Grand Master to the effect that he was

laid up with the gout , and prevented , to Ins deep regret , from being present , but he requested that he might be charged for four absentees . Bro . DERMOTT , who was laid up with a similar attack , and was absent , Bro . W . DiCKKY , jun ., acted as Secretary , while , the toasts that were honoured included " The Kine * and thc

Craft ; "The Grand Master , " " the Rev . Bros . ROWLAND and WYCHE ; " and " The Stewards of the Day ; " and it was " Order'd that the Ringers of St . Clement ' s shall be paid One Guinea , & the poor of the said parish Five Guineas , & the Beadles Ten shills . & 6 pence . " In 1768 the venue was laid at Deptford for Divine service , and the Assembly Rooms , on Blackheath , for the dinner .

“The Freemason: 1896-05-02, Page 5” Masonic Periodicals Online, Library and Museum of Freemasonry, 27 May 2025, django:8000/periodicals/fvl/issues/fvl_02051896/page/5/.
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Title Category Page
Untitled Article 1
FREEMASONRY DURING THE GRAND MASTERSHIP OF H.R.H. THE FRINGE OF WALES. Article 1
CONCERNING FESTIVALS. Article 5
GRAND FESTIVAL OF UNITED GRAND LODGE. Article 6
NEW GRAND OFFICERS. Article 8
JUNIOR GRAND WARDEN. Article 8
GRAND CHAPLAINS. Article 8
GRAND TREASURER. Article 8
ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS. Article 15
CONSECRATION OF THE ENGINEER LODGE, No. 2599. Article 15
SUPREME GRAND CHAPTER OF ENGLAND. Article 15
MARRIAGE. Article 15
Untitled Ad 16
Untitled Ad 16
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Untitled Article 17
Masonic Notes. Article 17
Correspondence. Article 18
Reviews. Article 18
PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF WEST YORKSHIRE. Article 18
Untitled Ad 19
Untitled Ad 20
ISRAEL LODGE OF INSTRUCTION, No. 205. Article 22
OPENING OF A NEW FREEMASONS' HALL AT EXETER. Article 24
Craft Masonry. Article 24
Untitled Ad 25
Untitled Ad 26
Untitled Article 27
Royal Arch. Article 28
Mark Masonry. Article 28
ECONOMIC LIFE OFFICE. Article 28
Obituary. Article 28
MASONIC MEETINGS (METROPOLITAN) Article 29
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

Freemasonry During The Grand Mastership Of H.R.H. The Fringe Of Wales.

¦ nurse of the two following years the Duke of CONNA . GUT was •stalled , firstly , Prov . G . M . of Sussex by the Prince in person , , ' l in 1887 , as Dist . G . M of Bombay ; while in the latter year I i < re was for the second lime a brilliant gathering of thebrethren •' , 0 Royal Albert Hall , the purpose being to vote an address

^ of congratulation to the QUEEN on the completion of the Jubilee vear of her reign . The Prince presided , ancl there were present over 6000 brethren , each of whom paid a guinea for his ticket af admission , while the proceeds of the sale of tickets , amount-* i-r in all to £ 6321 , was divided equally among the three

Insti-, tutions . About the same time , ancl in honour of the same event . Grand Lodge itself voted grants of £ 2000 each to the same Charities ; ancl , as in 1887 , the Grand Master laid the foundationstone of the New Hospital , Great Yarmouth , and his son that of thc Jubilee Wing of the Northampton Infirmary , we may regard

lhat year as being only less memorable in our annals than that of his installation . In 1888 , Grand Lodge voted a sum of £ 500 for the purpose of presenting some gift to the Princess of WALES on the occasion of the silver wedding of the Grand Master and ] , or Royal Highness , and , as soon as the present had been

selected , a deputation from Grand Lodge waited upon the Prince and Princess at Marlborough House , and presented them with ll , e address of congratulation , which Grand Lodge had voted by acclamation , on the auspicious anniversary , and the Princess with a diamond butterfly . In 1890 , the late Duke of CLARENCE

AND AVONDALE was installed as Prov . G . M . of Berkshire by his father , while since then the latter has done two newly-warranted lodges—the Chancery Bar and the Rahere—the very great honour of attending their consecration , and personally constituting them as lodges . But the events of his 21 years' reign are

so familiar , so fresh in the recollection of our readers , that we need not dwell upon them more particularly . We shall , therefore , content ourselves with adding a few words , wilh a view to showing that , though , as was to be expected , it is English Masonry which has most largely benefited by having the Heir

to the Throne for its Grand Master , the Craft in the other parts of the United Kingdom , with which , it must be remembered , he is connected as Patron , as well as throughout the British Empire generally , owes no insignificant portion of its progress during later years to his connection with the Society . Under

the Grand Lodge of Scotland , of which the Prince is Patron , the number of lodges has been increased from 543 lo 827 , and , though , as in thc jurisdiction of England , there are many of these

newly-created lodges , as well as many of earlier date , which have severed their connection with their parent Grand Lodge , the majority of them still exist , but under other Constitutions . As

lor brand Lodge itself , its position is vastly stronger now than it was in the later " seventies , " when Bro . D . MURRAY LYON , the great historian of Scottish Freemasonry had not yet been appointed its G . Secretarv . and its affairswhich had been

, terribl y mismanaged , were in a state of confusion . Now the Grantl Lodge is in a condition of marvellous prosperity , both as regards its finances , ancl the manner in which the duties of its lodges are carried out , while its Fund of Benevolence is on a

stable basis , and is admirably administered . In Ireland , the Grand Lodge , of which also the Prince is Patron , has likewise prospered during the G . Masterships of the past and present Dukes of Abercorn , but from the manner in which its lodges are ¦•umbered , it is difficult to estimate wilh any approach lo ¦ ui

u -ucy , the extent ot its progress . We know it has increased , and very materially , as is shown by the well-maintained popularity of . hs Masonic Orphan School Fetes in Dublin , and the brilliant success which attended the celebration of its Girls ' ¦ Vhool Centenary , in 1802 . Under the Canadian Constitution

'ere have been warranted during this period fully 100 lodges , "bile the independent Australasian Grand Lodges , which have recentl y been established , and of which the Prince is Patron , are , '_ UISe firmly set , and becoming slowly but surely stronger

ulb numericall y and in other respects . May the same prosperity attend Freemasonry throughout the British -mpire which has been ils lot during thc presidency of his Uiyal lli glmcss over nlc Grand Lodge of England !

Concerning Festivals.

CONCERNING FESTIVALS .

ref- 1 aimonises wc " ' ' 1 , ie eterna - I'tness of things that \ v | , v ' cnt should follow labour , nor see wc any valid reason j Q | l " ' n > "'ho happen to be Masons ancl meet as such pcriod-11 ' ••' ' uld not dine or sup together when they have performed

'iiic" ¦ . - cs " True these Masonic dinners and bansi « tj S <; IU ' ' U * a considerable amount of after-dinner oratory , conlnii .. f *' M rt ' y of m '' d platitudes , in part of venerable witticisms ,

¦ ¦ "ulev- £ ravc exchanges of mutual laudation wilh each co nstj t ' !* v ° ^ 0 l "' fellow-guests . But after-dinner speech-making lrar •[ , no greaf sin against religion or morality ; on the con-•' hel ps to promote good-fellowship . You cannot think

Concerning Festivals.

unkindly of a Mason who reciprocates the compliments you pay him , nor will he regard you with an evil eye for paying him those compliments . Moreover , good-fellowship helps us a long way on the road towards being kind and charitable to those we ' mcet , and as it is one of the chief objects to promote charity , wc * are

glad the ancient custom remains in force , by which thc members of our lodges partake of refreshment together when the business portion of their proceedings is ended . VVe dare say the custom

prevailed in the ' time immemorial' days about which we occasionally read , and it is more than probable that had there been a local press in existence in the middle of the 17 th century , some diligent Masonic student would Ions * since have unearthed a

report of the memorable meeting in Warrington , at which ELIAS ASHMOLE and Col . MAINWARING were initiated into the mysteries ancl privileges of Masonry . In all probability we should have learned that in the course of thc after-lodge proceedings , the Master proposeel the health of " The Initiates , " ancl

that firstl y Bro . ASHMOLE and then Bro . MAINWARING , in responding for the toast , expressed their thanks for the honour the lodge had done them in accepting them as members , and the hope that their future conduct would " justify thc confidence which the brethren had reposed in them . At all events , if we cannot

speak with certainty of what happened in Masonry at this epoch , we have it on record that in the very earliest days of Speculative Masonry refreshment was almost a part of the regular business of our lodge meetings , and that on grand occasions it assumed the character of a Festival . Especially was this the case at the

installation of a new Grand Master , when not only was there a Grand Feast , but likewise a grand procession of the brethren through the streets to one of the City Companies' Halls or a noted hostelry , where , after an elegant repast had been partaken of , the toasts proper to the occasion were dulv honoured .

But about the year 1 745 , in consequence of sundry irreverent people having made fun of these processions , and having in more than one case started mock processions of their own as a burlesque on the true Masons , the outdoor display was dropped altogether , though when the "Ancients" began to find

themselves more firmly established they revived the old custom of inarching in procession in their full regalia , and after attending Divine service in some church which had been selected , returning to their quarters and spending the rest of the day in quiet conviviality . But the "Ancient" Feast and procession was held

on or about St . John the Baptist ' s Day ( 24 th June ) , while thc installation of the Grand Master for the ensuing year and the investiture of his Grand Officers took place on or about St . John the Evangelist ' s Day ( the 27 II 1 December ) . Thus as regards the summer fetes we read in the minutes of the 24 th June , 1766 , that

" No Grand Lodge open'd on this day , but the Fraternity by permission of the Grand Officers met at the Angel in While Chapell , and from thence walked in procession to Stepney Church where an Excellent Sermon founded on the General Regulations of the Craft and upon a suitable Text was preach'd by the Rev .

Mr . Parker Rowlands our most worth y Brother . After the Sermon the Fraternity amounting to a vast number with three bands of Musick & c . walked in like manner to the Angel aforesaid where they separated & each Lodge went to dine at the Houses where held . " The following year the Feast on St . John

the Baptist ' s Day was organised on a more elaborate scale . An emergent meeting of Grand Lodge was summoned on the / 2 U 1 June , 17 6 7 , at which the Grand Master , Bro . the Hon THOS . MATHEW , presided in person , when it was resolved that a sermon should be preached " in the nearest ( or most convenient )

Church to the five Bells Tavern in the Strand , and that a suitable dinner shall be provided in such Tavern According to Ancient Custom . " Moreover , " the following Brethren were proposed and appointed Stewards for the said feast , viz ., William Dickey , Junr ., Bror . Llewelyn , Bror . Davy , and

Bror . James Mann , with liberty to choose two more on St . John ' s Day next . " Accordingly on the said St . John ' s Day , the Deputy Grand Master , Grand Wardens , and a great number of the officers and Members of private Lodges went to St . Clement ' s Church ,

where they heard an excellent sermon preached by the Rev . PARKER ROWLANDS , the prayers being read by the " Rev . Bro . WYCHE , after which the brethren returned to the Grand Lodge room and dined " in form . " In the course of the proceedings a letter was read from the Grand Master to the effect that he was

laid up with the gout , and prevented , to Ins deep regret , from being present , but he requested that he might be charged for four absentees . Bro . DERMOTT , who was laid up with a similar attack , and was absent , Bro . W . DiCKKY , jun ., acted as Secretary , while , the toasts that were honoured included " The Kine * and thc

Craft ; "The Grand Master , " " the Rev . Bros . ROWLAND and WYCHE ; " and " The Stewards of the Day ; " and it was " Order'd that the Ringers of St . Clement ' s shall be paid One Guinea , & the poor of the said parish Five Guineas , & the Beadles Ten shills . & 6 pence . " In 1768 the venue was laid at Deptford for Divine service , and the Assembly Rooms , on Blackheath , for the dinner .

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