Banquet Of The Tynwald Lodge, Isle Of Man.

installation ceremony . The toast was received with a hearty " twenty and one , " and "H . M . H . " Bro . Brown I . P . M ., responded . The AV . M . then gave " The AA ' ardens and other officers of 1242 , " which was responded to hy Bro . Quinney , S . AV .,

Bro . Cowley , J . AV ., and Bro . Parkinson , S . D . Bro . Tibbits then gave , in appropriate terms , " The AV . M . and Officers of the Athole Lodge , 1004 , " which was received with " twenty and one , " and " H . M . H . " Bro . AVebb , AV . M .. Bro .

Lofthouse , P . M ., and Bro . Tuton , P . M ., of the Athole Lodge , responded . " The other Insular Lodges , " by Bro . R . Tuton , P . M ., and " The Tyler ' s Toast , " by Bro . Lofthouse , P . M ., brought the list of toasts to a close at about half-past ten

o ' clock . Bro . James Brown added very materially to the pleasures of the evening , by singing in a very effective manner the following pieces : " Tubal Cain , " "Hail to thee , England , " and " My old friend , John ; " and Bro . Lofthouse ,

P . M ., set the brethren laughing , by reading the eccentricities of " Owcl Tipitoe , " from " Lancashire Sketches . " AVe ought not to omit that Bro . Long officiated in an efficient manner as I . G ., during the banquet , and Bro . O'Connor ee'iially

as effectively as Tyler , Thus was brought to a close a festal day long to be remembered as one of great pleasureableness by the Craft in Douglas ; and we cannot do better than hope that so much good feeling may become cemented , and be lasting . —Isle of Man Times .

Festival Of St. David's Lodge, No. 393.

FESTIVAL OF ST . DAVID'S LODGE , No . 393 .

The brethren of this lodge , in common with the Craft in all quarters of the world , celebrated the festival of St . John the Evangelist , one of the patron saints of the Order , on AVednesday the 27 th ult , within their own lodge

Churchstreet , Berwick-on-Tweed . The occasion was marked by the local brethren with much heartiness . Previous to the festival the brethren assembled in their lodge-room for the purpose of installing the AVorshipful Master and his colleagues in office for the ensuing year . Bro .

Moor , AV . M ., presided , and opened the lodge in regular form . After the initiation of one brother and passing ofanother , the brethren proceeded to the installation of Bro . Chalmers I . Paton , of The Tower , Portobello , as AV . M . ; Bro . J . S . McGregor , GO . of the Provincial Lodge ,

conducted the ceremony in a manner which won the admiration of the brethren , tlaving been duly installed into office , Bro . C . I . Paton , the newly-elected Master , said : Brethren , it is almost needless for me to say that I am deeply sensible of the honour

conferred on me , in being placed m my present position . But you will allow me to say it , because I feel it . I am very grateful to you also , brethren , for your election of me to this high office , for the confidence which you have

thus shown that you repose m me , and for the brotherly kindness which I esteem most of all . I shall endeavour to discharge the duties of this office in such a manner as to show my sense of its importance , and to maintain my brotherly

relations to all of you . Allow me to mention that I have for many years been a Master Mason in an English lodge , and that before being elected to my present office , I graduated for it , serving the office of AVarden in this lodge for a year . I am , therefore , well known to you ,

and I have great pleasure in thinking that my election to the Master ' s chair in this lodge is in some measure to be regarded as a recognition of the faithfulness with which I have already filled the former offices . Perfection is unattainable ; but an honest and persistent effort to attain it I

can promise to make , and for all shortcomings and deficiencies I doubt not you will be ready to make fair allowance . I am happy to think ol the efficient assistance I am sure to receive from the AA ' ardens and other office-bearers of this lodge . I trust that uninterrupted harmony will

prevail , and that the bond of brotherhood which unites us all to each other will in no case be weakened , but on the contrary will become stronger and stronger , drawing us more closely together to our mutual advantage and the increase of our happiness . Freemasonry aims at the promotion of all the sciences , and it

Festival Of St. David's Lodge, No. 393.

should be the endeavour of every Freemason to acquire as much as possible of all useful knowledge . The cultivation of the mind has a present reward in enjoyments very high and pure ; it also fits a man for greater usefulness ,

an object at which every Freemason ought continually to aim . Let me now , in conclusion , only thank you once more for the high honour which you have conferred on me in placing me in this office , and express my hope that by the

blessing of Him whose blessing we have already solemnly sought , I may be enabled faithfully to perform its duties with firmness and with gentleness , with the approbation of my own conscience , and with what next to this I most of

all desire , with your approbation . ( Applause . ) The Master then appointed his officers as follows : —Bros . C . Hopper , S . AV . ; A . Baxter Visick . J . AV . ; Richardson , Treas . : AA . Scott ,

Sec . ; Rev . T . Procter , Vicar of Tweedmouth , Chaplain ; T . S . McGregor , Organist ; A . Marshall , S . D . ; Thompson , J . D . ; AV . Redpath , S . S . ; AV . Gray , J . S . ; A . Maconnochie , I . G . ; Farmer Turnbull , Tyler .

At the close of the ceremonial of installation the brethren sat down to dinner in tbe lodgeroom . The company numbered upwards of forty brethren . The AV . M . ( Bro . C . 1 . Paton ) occupied the chair , and was supported by the

Immediate Past Master Bro . Moore , G . J . D ., and P . M . ' s Lambert , M'Gregor , Strother , Gibson , AVood ; Bro . the Rev . Adam Stewart Muir , Paisley ( an affiliated brother of St . David ' s ) ; the Secretary , Bro . Scott , and the Treasurer , Bro .

Richardson . The vice-chair was filled by the Senior AA'arden , Bro . C Flopper . Grace having been said by Bro . the Rev . A . S . Muir , an excellent dinner , in Bro . Gray ' s usual excellent style , was served . Thanks returned ,

The AV . M . gave the toast of " Her Majesty the Queen . " Loyalty , he said , was a prominent feature of Freemasonry , and the brethren would have shown themselves very disloyal if thev had

not placed the toast of the Queen first on the toast list . They saw in her Majesty a woman of kindly and affectionate nature , who was endeared to all her subjects . ( Cheers . )

The AV . M . next gave the toast of" The Prince of AVales , and the other members of the Royal Family . " There was one thing , in regard to the Prince of AA ' ales , he said , Masonically speaking , that was to be regretted , that he had not been

initiated under the jurisdiction , originally , of English constitutions . His Royal Highness , however , hail become affiliated with the English Order , and had therefore become amenable to English jurisdiction . He occupied at present a

very prominent position in the Craft , that of Past Grand Master of England . It had been very sad to the nation at large , and to the Masonic Fraternity more especially , to fear that they were about to lose him some few days ago . If the

nation had lost his Royal Highness by death , the unfortunate and melancholy circumstance would , in all probability , have changed the aspect of politics in this country . Happy we ought to be that the change had not taken place . ( Hear ,

hear . ) It was certainly very gratifying to know that during his Royal Highness's recent serious illness , representative men of other nationsnations with , which this country was connected by fraternal relations—had in the name of their respective countries manifested great sympathy

for the afflicted Prince and her Majesty . It was indeed great satisfaction to learn that the Prince was nearing convalescence , and he ( the AV . M ) trusted that his Royal Highness would grow stronger and stronger day by day , until he had become as strong as ever lie was . ( Cheers . )

The AV . M . then proposed "The Health of the Grand Master Mason of England , the Marcpais of Ripon , " anel referred to his mission of peace to America . The toast of " The Sister

Grand Lodges of Scotland and Ireland , and the health of the Grand Masters of the respective lodges , the Earl of Rosslyn and the Duke of Leinster , " was afterwards given . ( Cheers . )

Bro . Gibson , P . G . S . AV . of East Lothian , replied in a brief and appropriate speech ; there would be nothing wanting on his part , to advance Masonry to the highest pitch . ( Cheers . ) The AV . M . gave ¦< The Health of Earl Percy ,

Festival Of St. David's Lodge, No. 393.

Prov . G . M . of Northumberland , " and Bro . J . Sjj M'Gregor , CO ., replied . The W . M . proposed the toast of " Continued prosperity of the Lodge St . David ' s . " He was pleased to say that since he had entered the

lodge he had witnessed it prospering and going on to prosper ; and the brethren showed a zeal to do what was best for the lodge . They had nothing to complain of , but on the contrary had very much to be joyful for . ( Cheers . ) Pie coupled

the toast with the name of the I . P . M ., Bro . Moor , who had , he said , in an upright and honourable way filled the chair during the past year . ( Cheers . ) Bro . Moor , acknowledged the toast , and in doing so stated that the lodge had prospered

very much within the last five years . They had a good balance at the credit of the lodge , and there were close upon seventy subscribing members on the roll . ( Cheers . ) Bro . Moor , then proposed " The Health of the new AV . M . " Bro . C . I . Paton was much

respected as a man , heltl a high standing as a Mason , and had shown great interest in the prosperity of St . David ' s since he had become affiliated . Through his kindness and benevolence they had now a lodge second to none in the province . ( Cheers . )

Ihe A \ . M ., in reply , said : It has been my ambition to fill the high and honourable position which you have this day placed me in—the highest mark of esteem you can confer on a brother . There is something in the arcana of

Freemasonry which , when thoroughly understood , is a true type of Christianity . There are a great many interpretations by the neutral world of what is really and truly Freemasonry . My impression of Masonry is this—and I have

arrived at the conviction after long study—that it is the foundation of a speculative science upon an operative art , and the symbolic use and explanation of the terms of that art for the purposes of moral and religious teaching . This is

the proper definition of Freemasonry . fhe Order has also laws of its own , which it behoves us all to obey ; but these very laws and the ancient landmarks themselves , which are the foundation of our whole code , refer us to that

highest law which we have received from the Creator and Lord of the Universe , and to the laws of onr country . To be good and worthy Masons , we must strictly observe the moral law , and must also show constant respect for the

law of the land , neither transgressing it ourselves nor encouraging anyother in doing so . Thus shall we prove ourselves worthy successors of those who , in former days , made the name of Freemasonry honourable , and won for our Order high esteem

amongst men . The loyalty which has always distinguished our Order in former times has not , 1 am confident , suffered diminution in the present day . From this , the most northern lodge in England , meeting at the farthest

extremity of the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of England , may light shine over all the land ! May our working in our lodge , the example of our lives , and the influence which we exercise amongst men , all tend , not only to the

promotion of the interests of Freemasonry and the honour of our Order in this town and neighbourhood , but also in a far wider sphere ! For , such is the connexion subsisting amongst all the members of our Brotherhood , that the example

of one lodge is of benefit to other lodges alsoa good example stimulates and encourages many to follow it : and as we ought to rejoice when we see it anywhere presented to our view , so ought we continually endeavour to present it to others . ( Cheers . )

The AV . M . next proposed the toasts of " The Office-bearers of the Lodge , " and " The Past Office-bearers . " Bro . C Hopper replied to the former toast , and Bro . Strother to the latter .

The AV . M . then , in th * : name of the brethren of the lodge , presented his predecessor in the chair , Bro . Moor , I . P . M ., with a Past Master ' s jewel . He complimented Bro . Moor on the

faithful and zealous manner in which he had discharged his duty , and expressed the esteem in which he was held by the brethren . Bro . Moor , in fitting terms , returned thanks . A number of complimentary toasts followed , interspersed by some capital songs .