Concerning Festivals.

while in 17 69 , service was held in Putney Church , and the dinner at the Assembly Rooms , on Putney Common . On this occasion Stewards were nominated for conducting what is spoken of as "the Grand Master ' s Feast , " on the 24 th June , 1770 . In 1771 the Duke of ATHOL was installed G . Master , ancl the ceremony of

installation , and the Grand Feast ( at the G . M . s cost ) were held at the Half Moon , Cheapside , on the 2 nd March . The annual Feast was also held on St . John's Day , but Deputy DERMOTT having objected to its being called the G . Master ' s Feast , it was not so designated . In 1772 , we

read for the first time of a Grand Sword Bearer being appointed to carry the Sword in Public Processions , the Master of No . 2 being elected to carry it on St . John ' s Day , whilst it was further ordered that brethren under the censure of G . Lodge , or who did not belong to a Warranted Lodge , or could not produce a

Certificate from the one they had last belonged to , should not be allowed to take part in the festivities and processions on St . John's Day . As years went on , the Feast became a more elaborate affair , and in the Minutes of 6 th June , 1792 , we lind it was resolved to have a Feast after the usual service in Church ,

at Bro . Fox's , the Long Rooms , Hampstead . It was also determined that the tickets should be ios . 6 d . each , ancl that each lodge in and about London should take four tickets . In 1 799 , however , at a Grand Lodge held under the presidency of the Duke of Atholl , on thc 6 th May , it was " Resolved Unanimously

That it be recommended to His Grace the Duke of Atholl , R . W . G . M . of Free Masons of England , according to the old constitutions , to inhibit ancl totally prevent all Public Masonic Processions . " It will be remembered that it was in this year that thc Law was enacted against Secret Societies , from which , however , the

Freemasons were exempted , and though an attempt was made to have Processions revived , the Grand Master seems to have set his face against it . At all events , in the minutes of St . John the Baptist ' s Day , 1807 , the Duke of ATHOLL himself being in the chair , it is recorded that , in reply to a memorial

which had been presented to him for the revival of Processions , " His Grace was thereupon pleased to explain ancl state his reasons to the Grand Lodge in not complying therewith , and the same being disposed of , the Grand Lodge was closed and

adjourned to Dinner , Our Noble Grand Master being in the Chair . In the course of the day the Noble Duke congratulated the Fraternity on the increasing prosperity of the Institution , arising from their strict and unostentatious adherence to the Ancient

principles of the Ancient Craft , which most assuredly preserves its ascendency over all Innovation . His Grace signified in the most cordial manner his intention of attending this meeting as frequent as his residence in town would permit him , and the day was spent in that conviviality , good order , ancl brotherly love , so

highly characteristic of every real Mason . ' In 1809 , it was agreed at the Quarterly Communication on 7 th June that there should be a service at Camberwell Church ancl dinner at the Grove House , but henceforth until the Union , more important business occupied the minds of the "Ancient" brethren , and when the Union was

effected there was no longer a question of public Masonic Processions . Nor do they occur very frequently now-a-days , and then only on such important occasions as the laying of foundation stones , the annual meetings of Prov . G . Lodges , & c .

Indeed , at the meeting in the Royal Albert Hall for the installation of the Prince of Wales , it was very generally remarked that outside the Hall there was an entire absence of any appearance of Masonic insignia .

Among the Grand Feasts held under the auspices of the " Modern " Masons , perhaps lhat which was holden in Freemasons' Hall on the 2 nd May , 1792 , when his Royal Highness George Prince of Wales , great-uncle of our present illustrious G . Master , was installed in office as G . Master , will comes nearest home

lo us just at this moment when we arc commemorating this particular 21 st anniversary . His Royal Highness had been elected G . Master on the 2 . st November , I 790 , in succession to his deceased uncle , the Duke of Cumberland , and according to the account in Preston ' s " Illustrations of Masonry , " he was

" installed 111 the presence of his royal brother the Duke of York , the Right lion . Lord RAWDON , Marquis of HASTINGS , and about 500 other respectable Brethren . The repealed applauses bestowed by the company upon the Royal brothers were highly grateful lo their feelings , while the affability and heartfelt satisfaction of the Grand Master at the head of the

Brethren were particularly noticed . His Royal Highness performed the duties of his office in a style superior to most of his predecessors . I lis observations were clear , acute , and pertinent ; his expression ' was fluent , manly , and distinct ; and his euloginm on his deceased uncle , thc last Grand Master , pathetic , graceful ,

eloquent . The compliment that he conferred on Lord RAWDON as acting Grand Master was truly Masonic ; and lo all his officers on their , appointments , lie paid the proper tribute to their respective merits . In short , during the whole ceremony , his demeanour was courteous , pleasing , and dignified . "

Grand Festival Of United Grand Lodge.

GRAND FESTIVAL OF UNITED GRAND LODGE .

The Grand Festival of English Freemasons was held Wednesday evening at Freemasons' Hall , and was atttended 1 more than 800 brethren from all parts of the country . Bro I ] Earl of Lathom , M . W . Pro Grand Master , presided . Bro vy W . B Beach , M . P ., Prov . G . M . of Hants ancl the Isle of YV ;„ i . /

* * * ^ acted as Deputy Grand Master , ancl Bro . Earl Amherst , Prov G Master for Kent , as Past G . Master ; Bro . Sir John B . Monckton as S . G . W . ; Bro . Sir Reginald Hanson , as J . G . W . Bros . Lor I Egerton of Tatton , W \ L . Jackson , M . P ., and Dr . Balfour Cockburn , were among the Provincial Grand Masters present

and among other Grand Officers there were Bros . L 0 r (* Skelmersdale . E . Letchworth ( Grand Sec ) , S . Cochrane , W . J . I Stiles , George Everett , Richard Eve , Sir Albert W . Woods Thomas Fenn , R . Loveland Loveland , Lennox Browne , Wm Lake ( A . G . Sec ) , C . W . C . Hutton , W . B . Coltman , Major-Gen

F . Gadsden . Peter de Lande Long , C . F . Matier , J . E . Le Feuvre J . A . Farnfield , W . F . Smithson , Henry Smith , J . S . Cumberland R . Clay Sudlow , E . Monteuuis , Robert Grey , C . F . Howard James Terry , F . R . W . Hedges , J . M . McLeod , Rev . C . J . Martyn , Rev . H . A . Pickard , T . Lean Wilkinson , C . E . Keysrrr and VVm . Bywater .

After Grand Lodge had been formally opened , Bro . E . LETCII - WORTH , G . Sec , read the minutes of the March Quarterly Communication so far as they related to the election of the

M . W . G . M . and the Grand Treasurer . H . R . H . thc Prince of Wales was then declared installed as Most Worshipful Grand Master , and was proclaimed as Grand Master by Bro . Sir ALBERT WOODS ( Garter ) , G . D . C .

Bro . the Earl of LA THOM announced that his Royal Highness , the M . W . G . M ., had been pleased to re-appoint him as Pro Grand Master for the ensuing year . ( Loud and general applause ) . Bro . Sir ALBERT W . WOODS thereupon proclaimed the Earl

of Lathom as Pro Grand Master , and afterwards led the salute . Bro . the Earl of LATHOM next said that the Most Worshipful the Grand Master had been pleased to appoint the Earl of Amherst , Provincial Grand Master for Kent as Deputy Grand Master . ( Applause ) .

Bro . Earl Amherst was , therefore , conducted to the pedestal , where he took the solemn obligation of Deputy Grand Master . Bro . the Earl of Lathom invested him with the insignia of his

office , and he was proclaimed and saluted . Bro . Earl AMHERST : Most Worshipful Pro Grand Master and Brethren , —I beg to thank you very much for your cordial reception of my appointment .

Bro . the Earl of LATHOM : Brethren , I have to read to you a letter the Grand Secretary has received from Bro . Lord Mount Edgcumbe , the late Deputy Grand Master . It is as follows * .

Mount Edgcumbe , Plymouth . April 27 th , 1 S 96 " , Dear Brother Letchworth , I find myself prevented from coining to London this week , an 1 therefore regret that I shall bc ur . ablc to attend Grand Festival , for which th '

Board of Grand Stewards have kindly sent me a ticket . I have to thank you for your kind words on my retirement from office , and shill always look back wilh pleasure to the four years during which I have held it , on account of the friendships I have made and the Masonic work in which I havo h id the honour of taking

part . But , as you know , 1 always looked forward to surrendering it as soon as it should please H . R . H . the Grand Master to appoint my successor , and I heartily congratulate Grand L « . dge and the Craft upon the selection of so excellent a Mason as my friend , Lord Amherst . —Yours fraternally , MOUNT EDGCUMBE .

The following brethren were then invested as Grand O fficers for the year . They were all present : Bro . Major-General the Ri ght Hon , Lord ") Methuen , C . B ., C . M . G . .. AG . Wardens . ,, Hon . Mr . Justice Gainsford Bruce ... J

„ Rt . Rev . Lord Bishop of Lllandaff" ) ,. ,., , . „ Venerable Archdeacon Stevens ... j ° ' ll ; l P » lS ' „ Wm . Heap Bailey ( elected ) ... G . Treasurer . ,, His Honour Judge Philbrick , ( J . C . G . Registrar . ,, R . Horton Smith , Q . C . ~ ... ( j . ]) e ' p . Reg istry

,, lrAlwarcl Letenworlh ... ... G . Secretary . „ Lt .-Col . A . R . M . Lockwood , M . P . " ) „ W . E . M ^ Tomlinson , M . P . .. A * S . G . Deacons . „ W . Smithelt ... ... J „ J . C . Malcolm ... .. A ,, E . I ) . Anderton .., ... A . G . Deacons .

„ George h . Lake .,, ... J „ Rowland Plumbe ... ... G . Supt . of Works . „ Sir A . W . Woods , K . C . M . G . . CM ., - ) ,. ,, ' ( Garter ) . ... ... j ( j'D' of C'