Grand Festival.

GRAND FESTIVAL .

Grand Festival of English Freemasons was held on Wednesday , in the Temple , and the Most Honourable the Marquess of Ripon was installed , for the fourth time , Grand Master of English Freemasons . Grand Lodge presented

a very lively scene , there being about 300 brethren from different parts of the country , and a full dais of Past Grand Officers present in their gorgeous clothing . Grand Lodge having been opened , Grand

Secretary , Bro . J ohn Hervey , read the minutes of last Quarterly Communication which were then put and confirmed . Sir Albert W . Woods ( Garter ) then proclaimed the Grand Master by his numerous titles , and

led . the salutations which were given in ancient Masonic style . On the brethren resuming their seats , the Grand Master said : Brethren , I beg to return you my hearty thanks for the kind reception

which you have given me to-day , and for the marked proof of your confidence which you have accorded to me by this renewed election . I can assure you that I am very sensible not only of the high honour which that confidence confers

upon me , but also of the great kindness and forbearance with which you have been pleased to . judge of the course which I have pursued during the years that I have filled the great office of your Grand Master . I must in the

first place offer you my apologies for my absence at the last Quarterly Communication , which , however , arose , as you are well aware , from an imperative cause . It was my full intention to have been present on that occasion , and all my

arrangements lor the purpose had been made ; but , as you know , I was suddenly called away to the South of France by the very alarming illness which through an accident had happened to my son . I am very glad to say the cause of

that anxiety which I then felt has been removed , and I rejoice heartily to meet you again on this occasion . I rejoice also that it is now in my power to congratulate you very unfeignedly upon thc prosperous condition of the Craft at the

present time . I believe that it may truly be said , that at no previous period in thc history of Freemasonry in this country has the Craft been in a more prosperous and satisfactory condition than it is at the present time . Our lodges are

increasing rapidly in number , and the enrolled members of the Craft are becoming more and more numerous , I had almost said , every day . But , brethren , we must all bear in mind that in Masonry as in other human affairs a state of

prosperity has its peculiar dangers and its peculiar duties ( hear , hear ); and the two facts to which I have just adverted , namely , that lodges are rapidly increasing in numbers , and that the number of Masons is increasing also

throughout the country , impose upon all of us very important duties . I feel it is a bounden duty , on my part , to tender to my Right Worshipful brethren , the Prov . Grand Masters , throughout thc country , my warm and hearty thanks for the

zealous and able assistance which they have given me in the regulation ancl management of the Craft ; ancl in respect to that question of the increase in thc number of lodges in the

provinces , I must of course mainly be guided by the recommendations of the Provincial Grand Masters . I am sure that all of them who are here present will agree with me when I say that it behoves every one of us in our respective

Grand Festival.

degrees—I do not say for one moment , to check the progress of the Craft , but to be very careful to investigate the circumstances of each new lodge that is established , to see that it is really required , that the desire for it springs from true

Masomc motives ; that it is not the result of party feeling or the want of Masonic harmony in the district in which it is proposed a new lodge should be established , and that it may justly and satisfactorily be recommended to me ,

and moreover , that I shall be doing good to the Craft in granting a warrant for that lodge . There is a duty which lies upon every one of us , upon every one of you here present , and upon every brother throughout the country , and that

is the duty of always recognizing the responsibility that rests upon us of proposing any person for initiation . ( Hear , hear ) . So far as the condition of Masonry at the present time goes we have no want of an increase of the Order by

those who are fit to be admitted ; but we ought invariably to put the duty of maintaining the character and position of the Order above the feelings of private friendship , and especially above the feeling that it is very disagreeable

to have to say " No " to a person who may make application to us either in regard to Masonic or private affairs . Now , it is a great responsibility which lies upon lodges that they do not admit unworthy brethren into

the Craft . Some circumstances which have recently come to my knowledge , make me afraid that there is a tendency sometimes to let in brethren who come from a distance , and about whom very little is known , without making

enquiries of the Masons 111 the district from which they come . Now , nothing can be more unwise , nothing can be more un-masonic than that proceeding , because it often entails very serious responsibilities on the district in which

the candidate habitually resides , and the inhabitants of which are thc most lit judges of the brother ' s suitability to join tlie Craft . ( Hear , hear . ) Brethren , I thought it right to make these observations , because this point involves thc

clanger which attends upon a condition of prosperity , such as that in which the Craft now finds itself ; and I am sure I may rely upon every brother in this Grand Lodge , and on every brother throughout the country to second me in

my efforts — which it is my duty to make — constantly to uphold the character and position of this ancient institution . ( Cheers ) . Brethren , once more do I thank you most heartily for my re-election , and for the cordial reception which

you have given me to-day . And now I shall proceed to thc other business of the evening , the immediate portion of which is the appointment of the Grand Officers , thc first of whom is the Deputy Grand Master , the Earl of Carnarvon ,

whom I re-appoint . You are aware , all of you . that he has been unable to attend Grand Lodge for some time , and many of you arc aware that he has been in weak health during a large portion of last year . I am glad to say that his

health is now very much improved , and I have every reason to hope , although he is not able lo come among us this evening , we shall see him here very shortly , in fact at the ncxt Quarterly Communication . ( Cheers . )

The following brethren were then appointed by the Grand Mister his Grand Officers for the year , and invested with the splendid collars and

jewels of their respective offices : — Lord Balfour of Burlcy ( the inheritor of a very ancient peerage in the history of Scotland ) S . G . W .

Grand Festival.

Major AVilliam Piatt , J . G . W . The Rev . A . B . Fraser and the Rev . Robert P . Bent , Grand Chaplains . Samuel Tomkins , Grand Treasurer .

yEneas J . Mclntyre , Q . C , Grand Registrar . John Hervey , Grand Secretary . Emii E . Wendt , Grand Secretary for German Correspondence .

James Glaisher , ) „ , „ ¦ „ r > ¦ 1 J TT t Grand Senior Deacons . Richard Havers , J F . A . Philbrick , ) T - n . -r . P T -p . ' > Junior Grand Deacons . F . Pepys Cockerell , Grand Supt . of Works .

Sir Albert W . Woods ( Garter ) [ Grand Director of Ceremonies . John Whichcord , Assistant ditto . Henry Bulley , Grand Sword Bearer .

Wilhelm Ganz , Grand Organist . C . A . Cottebrune , Grand Pursuivant . Thomas Cubitt , Assistant ditto . Charles B . Payne , Grand Tyler .

Bro . John Boyd was authorized to take the rank and wear the clothing of a Past Grand Pursuivant , an authorization which elicited loud cheers .

The following brethren were approved by the Grand Master as Grand Stewards : — Bros . E . A . Baylis ( 259 ); James Mc Inlay ( 14 ) ; A . R . Martin ( 58 ); W . A . Colls ( 1 )* R .

R . Holmes ( 2 ) ; J . Chynowcth ( 4 ); W . L , Holt ( 5 ); Sir G . R . Prescott , Bart . ( 6 ); R . J . Hayhow ( S ); Thomas W . AVhite ( 21 ) ; Herbert Dicketts ( 23 ); F . Payne ( 26 ) : R . A . Brooks ( 29 ) * J . H .

Paul , M . D . ( 46 ) ; E . H . Cox ( 60 ) ; F . W . Pamphilon ( 9 ) ; AV . Leask ( 99 ); Chevalier C . E . Habicht ( 197 ) . Grand Lodge was then formally closed , nnd

the brethren to the number of about 300 , including the present nnd ninny past Graml Officers , sat down to a splendid banquet in Freemasons Tavern , provided by the Grand Stewards . These

consisted of Bros . John A . Rucker , President ( 259 ) : Standish G . Grady , Treasurer ( 14 ) ; Frederick G . Finch , Hon . Secretary ( 58 ); AValter H . Wilkin ( 1 ); Charles A . Swinburne ( 2 );

George Kelly King ( 4 ); Francis Morgan ( 5 ); Lord Cremornc ( 6 ) ; Anthony Sim ( S ) ; Griffiths Smith ( 21 ); Jonathan Brandon ( 23 ); Thomas S . Soden ( 26 ); Edward M . Haigh ( 29 ); Frederick

II . Rooke ( 46 ); Thomas Young ( 60 ); Henry Radcliffe ( 91 ) ; George D . Stibbard ( 99 ); and Henry Gauning ( 197 ) , And it is but fair to say that the arrangements reflected the highest credit

upon them . Of course they were not responsible for the gas , which all of a sudden went out , just as the ladies made their reappearance in the gallery . The circumstance caused considerable

amusement , nnd will explain many ofthe humorous allusions in the speeches , which otherwise would be inexplicable . Public diners-out have frequently made disparaging observations on the

wax candles , which almost always adorn thc tables at which they sit ; but those observations must in future be silenced by the remembrance , that if the candles had not been provided for

Grand Festival of 1873 , a state of confusion must have ensued , which would have entirely marred the very successful celebration of thc Grand Master ' s fourth accession to office . Few

Masons , we presume , remember the time when Mnsonic festivals , and public entertainments generally , were not lighted with gas ; but the

Freemasons of 1873 , nnd the ladies who accompanied them to Grand Festival of that year , wi'i be able to say that they have a notion of wh it dingy grandeur the splendid celebrations of 0111