Lord Charles B Eresford Lodge, No. 2404.

LORD CHARLES BERESFORD LODGE , No . 2404 .

VISIT OF BRO . LORD CHARLES BERESFORD . This lodge svas established about tsvo years ago by Bro . Lieut , and Quartermaster Francis Posvell and several others for the convenience of members of the Royal Marines and Royal Navy . As Lord Charles

Beresford was absent on foreign service at the consecration of the lodge , it svas unanimously resolved to invite him to honour the lod ge svith a visit on his return , and the long looked-for event took place on the 30 th ult . A number ' of distinguished brethren svere invited to meet his lordship , and amongst those svho

svrote regretting their inability to attend svas the Dean of Rochester , who said : " As a Mason for more than half a century , and as having a great regard for our Blue Jackets and Royal Marines , I am extremely sorry that absence from Rochester will prevent me from attendin '' . "

A reception was lirst held at Bro . Humphrey Wood's , High-street , Chatham , where the guests , having been courteously received and svelcomedby the W . M . and executive officers of the lodge , availed themselves of the opportunity of examining the antique furniture and curiosities , many dating back to early in the

seventeenth century . The oak panelling , which , together svith two windosvs , had been removed from Rome House , Chatham , were particularly admired . The brethren then adjourned to Randall ' s Hall , Chatham , svhere lodge was opened by Bro . T . W . Holdstock , W . M ., supported by the follosving members : Bros .

H . Mordy , S . W . ; H . J . T . Browne , J . W . ; W . A . Phipps , Treas . ; F . Powell , P . P . G . D . Hants , Sec ; J . \ V . Gunton , S . D . ; J . J . Young , J . D . ; J . E . Perkins , D . C . ; Major E . B . Stephens , Org . ; G . K . Wollaston , I . G . ; W . J . Beck , Steward ; S . E . Morgan , P . P . G . D . C ; J . Trimble , I . P . M . ; G .. Beale , P . M . ; G . W .

Parsons , P . M . ; A . F . King , P . D . G . O . Malta ; and many others . Visitors : Bros . Lord Charles Beresford , P . S . G . W . ; C . T . Smith , Mayor of Chatham ; F . F . Smith , Mayor of Rochester ; Col . J . J . Morris ; H . Wood , P . P . S . G . W . ; C . E . Skinner , W . M . 20 ; A . H . Hastings , 20 ; J . Oram , P . G . Tyler ; E . Pratt ,

P . D . G . S . B . South Africa ; W . Elcombe , 31 ; T . Goymour , W . M . 184 ; Major G . Duberly , P . M . 1127 ; H . L . Fowler , P . G . S . B . ; W . Wilson , P . M . 1424 ; H . Knight , J . D . 1424 ; T . Clibbon , P . M . 20 j J . F , Funnel ! , P . M . 20 ; H . Littlewood , 1080 ; J . T . Read , W . M . 1967 ; F . Croombcs , D . G . S . Malta ; W .

Wiggins , P . M . 20 ; J . S . Pope ,. P . M . 184 ; W Woolley , 20 ; W . Browne . P . M . 1424 ; F . Stretford , 553 ( S . C . ); S . Brice jun ., 1050 ; W . Powell , 1 3 10 j W . W . Lee , I . P . M . 2381 ; and others . The Provincial Grand Ofliccrs having entered in procession , a dispensation svas read allosving the

alteralion in place of meeting , and Bro . Lord Charles Beresford , P . G . W ., svas saluted in due form . Bro . F . POWELL , P . M ., Sec , at the request of the W . M ., then addressed the brethren , and said it was a very proud moment for him to have the honour of welcoming Lord Charles Beresford . who so kindlv

allosved the lodge to be named after him , and so readil y gave his permission . They were not only flattered , but highly honoured by that graciousness . The lod ge commenced svith small numbers—21—but nosv , after tsvo years existence , numbered 65 , which he thought svas very remarkable progress . They svere

not stationary , for there werc about a dozen waiting to come in svho were asvay serving their country and their Queen . Several instances had occurred svhere candidates svho felt disposed to join elsewhere had said they would wait and join that lodge . The consecration of [ he lodge was such a great success , for upwards of 200

"rethren attended , that the Provincial Grand Master , whose name svas a household word , congratulated him as the first Master in having such a large number tc * ish them Godspeed in the work of Freemasonry . As a memento of that great svork , it was decided by all "ie members that a group of the founders should be

Presented to Lord Charles Beresford . It was at lirst '" tended to send it out to his lordship , but the wish * asexpressed that the presentation should be deferred "Mil his return to England . It was , therefore , with i'feat pleasure , as the mouthpiece of the lodge , that he [ 'resented Lord Charles Beresford svith a group of the j . —» . uwi < , u V 1 IUI I * . ** Ub ( VJIU > " 1 'llptl *** ^ lUIIU -k / l IIIV l 0

unders , and svith a key to the same in book form — entitled , " Who ' s svho "—containing the names and a ' « ' •other particulars . Bro . Lord CHARLES BEKKSI ' OKD , P . G . W ., said that J 'th the permission of the W . M . he should like to rej ? , "" 1 his hearty thanks to Bro . Powell and the brethren . , ' ° f all for having been so generous as to ask him ™ '' How his name to be that of their lodire . Bro .

th ° * £ ****** sa '""' '" *" s tem 3 r ^ s—ft " - which he again off , J "" him—that he at once accepted the honour 1111 * 1 " •'" ky a number of his brethren . It svas not ™ c in that svay . He thought a great deal before he ••opted , because it was a most unusual honour for a

„ ' " ' ' be called , after an individual brother . Their tOuM ' had f ° r 'tS ° bJect lhe relief ° f ll * 0 se Wn 0 m . not nc -P themselves . Those svere fine chivalrous re IVe ^ " *~ bro' -herly love , relief and truth , and svhen he i jf •j "k '; red the Craft numbered a very large number " ¦ "out n ^ thought whether he svas quite svorthy One 1 t 0 acce P t tlle honour . He assured them it svas ''eool t , ** fee '' ngs tbat passed through his mind . •N h 1 W t' -em *' elves better than others kneiv them , br u knew his osvn feelings , and thought that a cr who svas honoured by having a lodge called

Lord Charles B Eresford Lodge, No. 2404.

after him should have , if possible , no failings whatever . A testimonial of such an interesting clsaractet gave him the greatest pleasure t ' o accept . ITe had had a number of presentations in his life , but there svas nothing he should value more than the one presented to him that day . He noticed there were a large number of subscribing members svho belonged to the

same service as himself , and that gave him the greatest pleasure . As long as he svas in Chatham he hoped to be of some besselit to that lodge and Masonry in general . A lodge founded on the lines that was svould not only benefit the people about them , but benefit that great community of those svho could not in many conditions help themselves . He svould once more

thank them most sincerely for giving him the great honour they had that day . The lodge svas closed , and a banquet svas subsequently held at the Prince of Wales Hotel , Railsvaystreet , Chatham , during svhich the band of the Royal Marines played a charming selection of music . Bro . Clarke and Miss Harcourt also assisted in the musical

arrangements . The preliminary toasts svere given by the W . M . with commendable brevity and received by thc brethren present svith enthusiasm . * Bro . T . S . WARNE , P . P . S . G . W ., replied for ' * The Prov . Grand Master and Provincial Grand Ofiicers , " and said he svould first think of the absent and return

thanks for Lord Amherst and Bro . Eastes , both of whom svere prevented from being present on this interesting occasion , the former being in Scotland . He alsvays conceived it a great honour to be associated not only svith the Provincial Grand Lodge of Kent , but also with the various lodges of svhich he svas a member , and he felt in this instance because they

esteemed it no light honour to belong to the Provincial Grand Lodge of Kent , which svas the oldest Provincial Grand Lodge in England , and he ventured to believe , was the most charitable . It was one of their proud and happy privileges to go up and dosvn the province representing the Provincial Grand Lodge , and he spoke with the utmost assurance when he said he never

attended a lodge svith more interest than he attended the meetings of the Lord Charles Beresford Lodge . One reason svas , and the brethren would bear him out , that he took a not inactive part in its formation , and another svas hc alsvays met brethren whom he honoured and esteemed . When this lodge was mooted it svas said the name should be the Lord Charles Beresford

Lodge . He asked why . The anssver svas " because he is an eminent Mason , a noble member of a noble profession , and further because sve shall all be proud to be connected svith a lodge that bears his name . " He had watched its career for the last tsvo years , and had been present to admire the brotherly feeling that existed , and the way in svhich the grand principles

were carried out . He always said their duties as Freemasons did not end with putting on nice aprons and pretty collars . They had something else . To carry out the great principles that svere inculcated in the lodge that afternoon b y Lord Charles Beresford svhen he reminded them of the great principles—brotherly love , relief , and truth . It behoved them to be careful

outside the lodge as svell as in , and set a high example of kindness and high principles , and do their duties in every station in which they svere placed . Hosv beautifully the poet had expressed it— " We live in deeds , not svords ; in thoughts , not breaths ; sve should count time by heart throbs . He most lives svho does the

most , thinks the best , and acts the noblest . " Let them see they were not only Freemasons in name , but that their hands sverc ready to be extended to every case of need , and that , svhile their principles taught them to be good to all men , yet they should specially remember the household of the faithful .

Bro . F . POWEI . I ., P . M ., Sec , then proposed "The Health of Bro . Captain the Right Hon . Lord Charles Beresford , P . G . W ., " and . said that during his career in life he had had many proud moments , but none more proud than the present . He wished to call their attention to svhat he omitted to say in the lodge . When the negotiations yvere going on . ibout that lodge , he was

deputed , by unanimous resolution , tei see the Provincial Grand Master , and his first visit svas to ask if he svould sanction another lodge . The anssver was— " No ; there are already six lodges in the locality . " He replied that there appeared to be quite enough in the locality , but he could convince the Prov . G . Master there was room for one more . He then enumerated certain facts

and svas asked for further information in writing . He took his stand on the fact' that at Portsmouth and Plymouth there were lodges similar to this , principally for the members of her Majesty's Royal Navy , and quoted certain statistics of those lodges . He svas pleased to say they came out victorious , for his information was verified , and he was glad it was so . They

svere not running in competition svith other lodges , for the Prov . Grand Master had fixed a double fee for those not in the Royal Navy . They had done remarkably svell , and all the other lodges svere just as nourishing . As thc first Master , and from the position he had taken since the commencement of the lodge , they would all agree that it was a glorious state of affairs svhen they could in this tug of war all be at one end of

the rope . They had established a Benevolent Fund , and werc doing their best to make the lodge second to none in the province . He svould ask all present to bo upstanding and drink svith all heartiness to the health of the R . W . noble and gallant Bro . Lord Charles Beresford . The toast svas enthusiastically drunk svith musical honours , the company all heartily singing " Rule Britannia . "

Lord Charles B Eresford Lodge, No. 2404.

Bro . Lord CHAKI . ES BKKESFOKB , P . G . W ., said he found himself in rather a position of peculiar difficulty , lor he had to render them his thanks most heartil y given after having drunk svith the N ., S ., E ., and W ., and the right and left , so that if his sentences svere not as clear as he could svish they could put it dosvn to their hospitality and not to any fault on his part .

There had been a great mistake made that day by his old friend , Bro . Powell , svho had impressed upon thebrethren that they svere receiving a considerable honour in having his name for their lodge . As far as he svas concerned , Bro . Posvell had made a distinct mistake . The honour svas on his side , and a most ui . usual honour it svas for any brother

to be asked to have a lodge named after him . There svere some remarks made by Bro . Posvell about svhat svas termed his popularity . He did not knosv about his being popular , but he knesv he received most extraordinary kindness from all classes of the community , and most particularly from those he had been associated with on service—even those to svhom

he had had to administer occasional justice ; and also what puzzled him very much svas among the working men of the country . He received the most extraordinary kindness from them . Hc often received letters from them asking for advice , and sometimes for assistance .-. His idea of svhat was called popularity svas entirely based upon one thing , svhich svas that he

alsvays anssvered a letter . He regarded the man who svrote to him as placing confidence in him for he svould not svrite unless he thought he would do justice to him . He spoke in the lodge about his qualifications for the most honourable position they had placed him in . He was thinking over his escapades—he hoped the brethren svould not think there svas anything ungenerous ,

unchivalrous , or ungentlemanly about them—for he was usually found to be in some sort of trouble , but if the brethren sasv them in large print on the wall , they might not think he was qualified for the position in which they had placed him . He could not allow the evening to pass svithout calling the attention to the increase from 21 to 65 members in an uncommonly

short time , and giving his thanks to the lodge for inviting members of other lodges to be present , and also to Bro . Warne for his remarkable speech . Bro . Powell referred to the fact that that lodge was not in competition with other lodges , meaning that generous rivalry , that great desire to be a good , second , or , better still , a dead heat . Brotherly love , relief and truth , svere

their principles—and truth svas the bottom of everything , for if a man studied that he svas always popular and regarded as a master mind . It svas the foundation of their Craft , and was a qualification he had found in his experience of 34 years to be particularly founded * in the Royal Navy . It svas his privilege to ask them to drink to the most cheering health , the greatest

prosperity and best of good svishes to the present Worshipful Master of the lodge . In the day ' s proceedings , svhich had been somesvhat protracted , but very interesting , Bro . Holdstock had executed his duty in a most masterly svay . Hc must refer to the fact that the W . M . and himself sverc old comrades . They had had former days together , in which they had the rough with the smooth , but there were very little

smooths , and the W . M . not only worked with thc greatest credit and honour to himself , but he reflected svhat had been reflected before , great credit to the magnificent corps of svhich he was a member . He asked the brethren to jrive the W . M . their hearty good svishes , that he might live long to adorn the profession to which he belonged , and success in the future tenure of his office .

Bro . T . W . HOLDSTOCK , W . M ., brielly replied , recalling several interesting anecdotes which occurred during the time he was in service with Lord Charles Beresford . He thanked all the brethren for the kind manner in which they had drunk his health , and assured them he should alsvays be an enthusiastic Mason , and one who could be relied upon to help . Bro . MORGAN , P . M ., replied for " The Past Masters , "

and "The Visitors" having been cordially given by Bro . PARSONS , P . M ., svas responded to by Bros . C . T . SMITH , Mayor of Chatham ; F . F . SMITH , Mayor of Rochester ; T . GOVMOUR , W . M . 184 ; RKAD , W . M . 1967 ; and BRICK , VV . M . 1050 . Other toasts svere given , and the proceedings , which had been of the most hearty and enthusiastic character throughout , terminated svith the Tyler ' s toast .

Royal Arch.

Royal Arch .

GAINSBORO' . All Saints' Chapter ( No . 422 ) . —A meetingot this chapter was held on Monday , t . ie 21 st ult ., at the Masonic Rooms , svhen Comp . A . Kirk , in the unavoidable absence of Comp . T . Staniforth , M . E . Z ., occupied

the chair . It being the annual election of officers the follosving svere the results : Comps . A . Kirk , M . E . Z . ; Fanner , II . ; C . Sowby , ] . ; O . Adlard , 3 . K . ; W . Constable , S . N . j and \ v . Liversidge , P . S . The installation is fixed for November .

The ( Jueen , accompanied b y the Duchess of Conniught and her children and the Prince and Princess Henry of liattenberg and their children , and attemled by the ladies and gentlemen of the Court , left Ojborne for Balmoral on Monday evening , crossing the Solent in the Royal yacht Albert and travelling by the South-Western system to

Basingstoke , svhere the train svas transferred to the charge of the Great Western authorities , and thence at Bushbury to those of the North-Western . The Royal party reached Balmoral on Tuesday afternoon , and svill remain there till about the middle of November . ' ¦ ¦ ,.